We just had the opportunity to see the Solar Impulse airplane. It landed a few days ago in Tulsa to avoid the weather we are having today. They plan to leave on Thursday for New York and to complete their around-the-world flight with no fuel.
Things I learned:
They have 2 pilots and a third available if needed. There is only one pilot in the cockpit, so the plane is only flown solo -- pilots alternate flight legs. The plane flies at a max indicated speed of 49 knots, which makes the transoceanic flights about four days long. Altitude limit is 27,000 ft. and there is no oxygen. Pilots are trained to take 12 20-minute naps while the autopilot flies the plane and monitors flight characteristics. If the autopilot needs the pilot to wake up, it vibrates his arm. The body of the airplane appears to be about the shape of the local air-evac helicopter, but a little shorter. In total, it weighs about 5000 lb. Even though it is chilly today, there were air conditioners attached to the engines and we were told it was to cool the batteries. There are skids at the ends of the wing tips for landing and four ailerons on each wing (I don't know why). The wing in the hangar is propped up in the middle, so that people could walk under it -- don't know if it normally drags on the ground like gliders do. The wingspan is enormous -- 14 lights along the leading edge -- and even though the American Airlines jumbo-jet hangar it is in is huge, they had the plane in there at an angle. A video I saw showed it being pulled into the hangar sideways by a crew using web lines. Ground crew of 50 is following in its own plane. Among them are two (count them) chefs who brought their own food and kitchen.
