Solar-powered plane takes 24-hour flight

Worlds first solar powered airplane is ATM on 24 hour test flight in Swizerland. Follow the animated 3D online view from the cockpit here: SOLAR IMPULSE - AROUND THE WORLD IN A SOLAR AIRPLANE

Flight instruments and route map here: SOLAR IMPULSE - AROUND THE WORLD IN A SOLAR AIRPLANE

Solar-powered plane takes 24-hour flight - CNN.com

Can this plane fly at night?

I think this is remarkable news. Not only can that plane fly, but the solar system is also able to charge batteries so that it can fly when there's no sun.

Did you notice pilot is the same man who made the first around the world hot air balloon flight?

BTW, that must be the most slowly flying plane with fixed wings. It had airspeed around 20 knots.

Kari said:

BTW, that must be the most slowly flying plane with fixed wings. It had airspeed around 20 knots.

was that KIAS (Indicated Air Speed) or GS (Ground Speed)?

Air speed. I think it maxed some 25 knots. The ground speed was of course slower.

Interesting... it must have been a very light aircraft then.... and they are planning to take it around the world? (working on the title of the website) Thats going to take forever!

I was thinking the same last night when I occasionally checked the website. The ground speed seemed to stay between 15 and 19 kmh (approx. 9 to 12 mph). A trip around the world would take more than 1,000 hours, about 50 days!