Night flight of solar plane postponed
July 2, 2010, 06:50 pm
Aviation enthusiasts will have to wait a while before they can learn the results of a postponed test flight of a solar-powered aircraft.
The Solar Impulse team has been working for the past seven years to develop the craft, which is largely covered with photovoltaic materials and which is expected to attempt a flight around the world in 2012.
To prepare for that goal though, the researchers must successfully complete a night flight, which will be particularly important since the plane's photovoltaic panels only generate energy during daylight hours.
According to the blog on the Solar Impulse website, this week's delay of the night test was caused by a faulty transmitter on the plane's telemetry system. Apparently, the small size of the electronic device makes it more prone to overheating, and one possible solution could be to have the manufacturer replace it.
According to a report from AFP, the plane has already completed 10 successful test flights and has the wingspanof an Airbus A340 airliner. The French wire service noted that the plan has previously been able to stay aloft for up to 14 hours during daytime testing.
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