First round the world solar flight

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The team behind pioneering solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 have announced they are now set to resume their attempt to achieve the first ever round-the-world solar flight.

New batteries have been fitted and extra cooling systems installed. A series of 13 test flights—including high-altitude testing—have confirmed it’s good to go.
The team is now waiting for a “favorable” weather window in which pilot Bertrand Piccard can set off. Depending on conditions, the airplane will head for either Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles or Vancouver.

 

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Following a successful take off today, Solar Impulse 2 will make the flight from Hawaii to Mountain View in California after having been grounded for nine months.

The plane took off just after 4PM UCT (5PM BST/12PM ET) and is expected to land in Mountain View, California - home of Google - as early as Saturday.

It was due to take off at 3PM UTC but earlier this morning weather conditions exceeded the safety limits with gusting winds leading the team to store the craft in a hanger just before sunrise.

But the team said it still has the sunrise take-off time in its sights.

 

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The solar-powered aeroplane Solar Impulse has landed in Silicon Valley, California, after a three-day flight over the Pacific Ocean.

High winds delayed the landing at Moffett Airfield, Mountain View, as pilot Bertrand Piccard flew in a holding pattern off the coast.

The fuel-free plane left Hawaii on Thursday, after eight months of repairs to its batteries.

 

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The Solar Impulse plane took off in darkness from San Francisco this morning for the first leg of its journey across the United States.

The solar-powered plane is expected to finish the 720-mile journey tonight when it lands at Phoenix Goodyear Airport.

<iframe src='http://abcnews.go.com/video/embed?id=38813764' width='640' height='360' scrolling='no' style='border:none;'></iframe>



http://www.solarimpulse.com/leg-10-from-San_Francisco-to-Phoenix

 

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Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard took off from Phoenix in Arizona at 3:05am local time (11am BST) yesterday as he started the eleventh leg of the round-the-world trip in the experimental solar-powered aircraft.

The plane is due to take around 18 hours to reach Tulsa International Airport in Oklahoma, were it will land before going on across the United States towards New York ahead of a long journey across the Atlantic.

 

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Solar Impulse 2, piloted by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, landed after an 18 hour and 10 minute flight from Phoenix, Arizona, to Tulsa International Airport in Oklahoma.

The aircraft flew 975 miles (1,570km) and reached an altitude of 22,000ft (6,705 metres), taking the team behind the aircraft another step closer to their 21,700 mile (34,922km) record breaking journey around the world using only the power of the sun.

The crew are likely to stay in Tulsa for a few days while they wait for the weather to clear before it makes another flight over the United States ahead of tackling the crossing of the Atlantic from New York.


André Borschberg will pilot Solar Impulse 2 on the twelveth leg of the journey as it continues to cross the United States. However, the exact destination is yet to be decided.

A statement released by the Solar Impulse 2 team said: 'Until two days before takeoff, our engineers had not even considered flying to Oklahoma due to its tornado potential.

'They were originally considering a flight from Phoenix, Arizona to Kansas City, Missouri, however due to difficult weather conditions over the plains in the state of Kansas, we had to find a different solution.


'Landing in Tulsa is symbolic, as it lies at the heart of the United States. Route 66, the iconic road that stretches from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona until ending in Santa Monica, California was initiated by entrepreneurs in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

'This flight marks the third Solar Impulse mission flight this year after the Pacific Crossing and the flight from San Francisco to Phoenix, Arizona.

'Our goal now is to reach New York as soon as possible in order to have enough time to find a clear weather window to cross the Atlantic.'

 

[Drone]

 

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Solar Impulse plane lands in Dayton, Ohio from Tulsa, Oklahoma

And here's extremely long (12 h) inflight video

 

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Solar Impulse 2 Completes Journey Across The U.S.

Inflight video

 

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Solar Impulse completes first ever sun-powered Atlantic crossing: Plane touches down in Seville following 71 hour flight


Solar Impulse 2 (SI2) landed in Seville this morning just after 7.30am local time after setting off from New York early on Monday morning.

The flight is one of the longest the plane has made and completes the 15th leg

Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard flew this leg of the journey, while fellow pilot Andre Borschberg watched from the ground.

As the solar-powered aircraft made its final descent into Seville airport it was welcomed by Spanish jet formation Patrulla Águilla or 'Eagle patrol'

team's blog

 

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In the latest leg, a gruelling 71 hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean, Mr Piccard filmed a video for Wired, explaining what it is like to fly in the coffin-sized cockpit for days on end.

The cockpit, just 40.9 square feet (3.8 square metres) has enough room for instruments, some food and a reclining chair.

During the footage, Mr Piccard took a selfie of him and his giant plane, before bringing the camera inside the cockpit to show off the aircraft's controls.

He showed how he can recline in his seat to turn it into a bed, and filmed his modest food supplies.

 

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Solar Impulse 2 record in sight: Solar powered plane sets off for Egypt on penultimate leg of round the world journey


Solar Impulse 2 took off from Seville in southern Spain in the early hours of Monday morning with pilot Andre Borschberg behind the controls.

The single-seat aircraft is expected to take 50 hours and 30 minutes to reach Cairo in Egypt.


Once there the team will prepare the aircraft for its final trip to Abu Dhabi to complete the world record-breaking journey around the world.

On its journey from Spain to Cairo it flew over the Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant in Seville (pictured)

 

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The Sun-powered aircraft Solar Impulse has finished its penultimate flight, landing in Egypt's capital, Cairo.

It took off from the Spanish city of Seville at 04:20 GMT on Monday, taking just over 24 hours to make the trip.

Andre Borschberg did the Seville-Cairo stage, flying over the pyramids and the Sphinx at Giza before landing.

"The final approach to Cairo was a bit tough but I made it," he tweeted.

 

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Solar Impulse 2 forced to postpone its final flight to Abu Dhabi

Strong winds have put paid to Bertrand Piccard's attempt to complete the final leg of Solar Impulse 2's round-the-world trip.

Almost 16 months since the plane first left Abu Dhabi, Si2 had hoped to head back to where it all began tonight, but the team announced the flight had been postponed 'to a later date' because the 'latest wind reading was too high to take Si2 safely out of the tent and onto the runway.'

Piccard, who was due to take off with Si2 from Cairo, Egypt at 22:00 UTC, (11:00pm CET/6:00pm EDT), is also said to have an upset stomach after falling ill yesterday. When the flight does take off, it will require the pilot to spend 48 hours in a cramped cockpit with only a single toilet.




Bad guts eh?

So there is a flight delay because of strong winds inside and outside the cockpit......

 

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Solar Impulse 2 heads for finish line in round-the-world flight.

The aircraft should take about 48 hours to reach Abu Dhabi, UEA - the place it began the circumnavigation in March 2015.

Pilot Bertrand Piccard is at the controls one final time.

His flight ought to be fairly straightforward, although his team has some concerns about how the heat in the Middle East may affect the plane.

Mr Piccard is likely to have to spend a lot of time at high altitude on oxygen to get above the thermals and the turbulence they induce.

The warmer, thinner air above the Saudi desert also means Solar Impulse's motors will have to work harder to propel the vehicle forward.

This will require careful management of the energy reserves in the plane's lithium polymer batteries, to be sure they can sustain the aircraft through the night hours.


live stream
http://www.solarimpulse.com/leg-17-from-Cairo-to-Abu_Dhabi

 

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Solar Impulse completes historic round-the-world trip

Solar Impulse 2 touched down in Abu Dhabi today, becoming the first fuel-free plane to successfully circumnavigate the globe. The solar-powered bird lifted off from the same city in March 2015. But despite a few setbacks, the plane and Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard (who took shifts with fellow flyer André Borschberg) touched down without incident.