Nighttime flight is an important milestone--but solar power is unlikely to transform aviation.
Swiss researchers yesterday marked a major milestone in the development of a solar-powered, single-pilot aircraft that they hope will eventually circumnavigate the globe. They kept their craft aloft through an entire night on stored solar energy.
In the wake of the event, the pilot, André Borschberg--CEO and cofounder of the Solar Impulse project--declared: "I have just flown more than 26 hours without using a drop of fuel and without causing any pollution!" The plane took off from a Swiss airbase early Wednesday and landed there at dawn Thursday.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Technology Review: Solar Plane Lasts All Night Long
Author: David Talbot
