Solar Impulse at JFK

Beth solar plane

Incredible- got to visit the Solar Impulse at Kennedy Airport – the fuel-free, solar powered plane that just finished crossing the U.S. Breaking new barriers, it is the first solar plane to be able to fly both day and night (due to battery storage), only stopping so the pilots could rest. The innovative and pioneering effort was undertaken by 2 Swiss innovators, who took turns piloting the plane through its various stops across the U.S., from San Francisco to New York. Made of a light carbon fiber, its average speed was 45 mph, wing span was that of a jumbo jet (208 feet), and it was powered by 2000 solar cells. The Wright brothers’ first flight was in 1903, so here 110 years later, we reach another milestone. The next plan for the team is to fly around the globe. Just the beginning for this exciting technological possibility!

Beth Fiteni