Airline passenger news and views

For those of us who missed the news - a full-fledged solar airplane under the name of 'Solar Impulse' is now working day and night, entirely powered not by fuel but by solar energy being absorbed by its very wings.

Indeed we are by now well past the idea of a solar aircraft and it won't be too long before it is used worldwide by commercial airlines, in the recent wave to become more independent from fuel. The whole project was initiated in 2003 at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland by Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg and today, Solar Impulse has already showcased a live flying demonstration at the huge Paris Air Show this last June.

With a total weight neighbouring a car's one (1600 kg), a light Carbone fiber structure, lithium-ion batteries, highly silent electric motors and the same wingspan as an Airbus A340, everything about this aircraft was designed to fly 'clean', or, in other words, totally independently from fossil energy and entirely basing itself on renewable energies. This ground-breaking airplane is engineered to eliminate pollution and save natural resources, pushing the boundaries of scientific innovation at its furthest.

Solar Impulse took its first short flight in 2009 before adventuring on a 26-hour flight in a full rotation around the earth in 2010, becoming the very first solar aircraft to fly during both day and night. Photovoltaic cells located on the surface of the wings absorb solar energy, producing electricity and thus power, while charging the batteries during the flight as well for the night journey.

The obvious problem with this aircraft however is its high dependency on climate conditions for flying. In the best conditions, an average of only 6 kW can be obtained over 24 hours, and night flights depend on the energy absorbed during the day. Also, the lighter the body of the aircraft, the more efficient the batteries - another major problem. In fact, Solar Impulse is now a one-seater only but a second and larger prototype is scheduled to be completed this year already and it's just a matter of time before solar power revolutionizes aviation…

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