The news services are buzzing with word that Solar Impulse has achieved sustained flight. What is Solar Impulse? Amazing engineering.

A 1,600kg manned solar fueled electric powered airplane.

200m^2 of solar cells provide power to run 4 x 7,500W motors (peak output). The solar panels only receive 250W/m^2 on average throughout the day, so that means only 6,000W total (1,500 / motor) of continuous thrust is possible.

The article notes that the plane glided for 87 minutes. I believe the media is taking some literary license with the word 'glided'. According to the new release from Solar Impulse, the plane took off, climbed to 1,200m on a test flight to familiarize the pilot with the handling, etc. The news release says the flight lasted 87 minutes - so I don't think there was much gliding going on (certainly not during the climb).

The technical details that have been released are impressive:

TECHNCIAL DATASHEET
Wingspan:	63,40 m
Length:	21,85 m
Height:	6,40 m
Weight:	1 600 Kg
Motor power:	4 x 10 HP electric engines
Solar cells:	11 628 (10 748 on the wing, 880 on the horizontal stabilizer)
Average flying speed:	70 km/h
Take-off speed:	35 km/h
Maximum altitude:	8 500 m (27 900 ft)

Their ultimate goal? Fly around the world, including flying at night.

Wow.

Yves is still out there pushing the envelope. His latest attempt to stretch the distance of his jet powered wing didn't go as far as hoped. He was attempting to fly between Morocco and Spain

Looks like strong winds may have been his undoing.

"strong winds buffeted him. At one point he flew through clouds and was lost from sight. Below him, a ferry sailed from Morocco to Spain. Sterzel says Rossy went down about a third of the way into the flight, but did not crash. Rather, it was his decision to ditch."

He was quickly rescued. No immediate word on the damage to his wing, or how soon before he tries again. As the sponsor is quoted as saying "Nothing worthwhile has ever been achieved on the first attempt,".

The big news this weekend in Winnipeg was the landing and public viewing of the WWII Avro Lancaster bomber. Needless to say it was a very popular attraction. When it landed yesterday there was a massive crowd that waited hours for a chance to see inside. The plane was also on display today - but since it was a work day, I arrived at 6PM (they closed the museum at 7). I was warned that I might not get to go in, and the line up outside and the crowd around the plane confirmed that fear.

I took these shots through the airport perimeter fencing - I was debating even going in.