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Solar Impulse plane begins Pacific crossing
BBC ^ | 30MAY2015 | Jonathan Amos

Posted on 05/30/2015 7:35:48 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine

The experimental aircraft, which has a wingspan bigger than a jumbo but weighs little more than a large car, left Nanjing at 02:39 (18:39 GMT).

It is likely to take Mr Borschberg five to six days of continuous flight to reach his central Pacific destination.

He will try to stay awake for much of that time, taking only short catnaps.

His progress will be monitored the entire way from a control room in Monaco.

Meteorologists and flight strategists will constantly update him on the best route to follow.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: airplane; crossing; electric; pacific; solarimpulse
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1 posted on 05/30/2015 7:35:48 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine
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To: Jack Hydrazine

You can follow the flight live here:
http://www.solarimpulse.com/leg-7-from-Nanjing-to-Hawaii

Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/SolarImpulseChannel

Twitter feed here:
https://twitter.com/solarimpulse

Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/solarimpulse

More info about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Impulse

Other news articles about the Pacific crossing.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/30/asia/solar-impulse-plane-pacific-crossing/

http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/30/solar-impulse-begins-cross-pacific-flight/

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2015/05/30/solar-impulse-2-takes-off-on-epic-five-day-pacific-flight/


2 posted on 05/30/2015 7:39:43 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

You can also follow them on Google+:
https://plus.google.com/+solarimpulse/posts


3 posted on 05/30/2015 7:40:42 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine; Gamecock; Larry Lucido; FredZarguna

[He will try to stay awake for much of that time, taking only short catnaps.]

Well, it worked for Kramer.

Kinda.


4 posted on 05/30/2015 7:58:34 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
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To: Jack Hydrazine
Where did I put my slingshot? LOL


5 posted on 05/30/2015 7:59:11 PM PDT by Viking2002 (The Avatar is back by popular request.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

I guess its interesting, but I wish they wouldn’t pimp the upcoming global warming conference. This is a stunt, not a new way to fly across the pacific. They estimate it takes 60 hours to get to Hawaii, which is about the same as taking a ship. There is a better buffet on a ship than in their one man airplane.


6 posted on 05/30/2015 8:04:23 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer
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To: SaveFerris; Jack Hydrazine; Gamecock; FredZarguna

Maybe if he just had an intern...


7 posted on 05/30/2015 8:18:14 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: Jack Hydrazine

I found it on Flightradar24. Over the ocean just south of South Korea coast. identifier. NKG-? speed 64 alt. 16.030 ft.

8:38 PM. PDT. 30 May


8 posted on 05/30/2015 8:37:02 PM PDT by alpo (Mandatory sunk canoe statement)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Now, let’s see: if you built one with a wing span of about a mile and a half you could compete with existing commercial airliners. It’s sure to have success in the marketplace.


9 posted on 05/30/2015 8:46:49 PM PDT by AmericanVictory (Should we be more like them or they more like we used to be?)
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To: SaveFerris

10 posted on 05/30/2015 8:47:18 PM PDT by FredZarguna (It looks just like a Telefunken U-47 -- with leather.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine; Gamecock; Larry Lucido; FredZarguna

Oh my gawd. He’s dead...


11 posted on 05/30/2015 8:48:49 PM PDT by FredZarguna (It looks just like a Telefunken U-47 -- with leather.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Famous last words: “Hold my beer and watch this!”


12 posted on 05/30/2015 8:58:49 PM PDT by Brad from Tennessee (A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.)
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To: alpo

It’ll drop to ~4k altitude overnight


13 posted on 05/30/2015 9:52:29 PM PDT by Ready4Freddy
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To: Ready4Freddy

The way I understand it, they do that so the pilot doesn’t have to keep an oxygen mask on all the time.

At current, he’s passing over the southern end of the Korean Peninsula at around 23,000 feet.


14 posted on 05/30/2015 10:20:46 PM PDT by hoagy62 ("Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered..."-Thomas Paine. 1776)
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To: hoagy62

That makes sense, I’d assumed that it was because the batteries couldn’t maintain full airspeed overnight.


15 posted on 05/30/2015 10:30:39 PM PDT by Ready4Freddy
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To: hoagy62
My assumption coming from this:


16 posted on 05/30/2015 10:42:38 PM PDT by Ready4Freddy
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To: Ready4Freddy

local time was 7:30 AM so they may climb now. Don’t know what the design alt. is but it is fun to watch the cockpit at the live site.

Ground speed was 64 knots, so it will be a long way to Hawaii.
I’ve flown over the Atlantic a few times and 9 hors from the West coast seems like a long time. Pilot probably can’t walk around much.
When Rutan and friend flew non-stop aruond the world, that mst have
been a real endurance test.


17 posted on 05/30/2015 10:44:46 PM PDT by alpo (Mandatory sunk canoe statement)
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To: Ready4Freddy

Currently 27,000 ft. 12 mph

11 PM. PDT 5/30


18 posted on 05/30/2015 10:57:43 PM PDT by alpo (Mandatory sunk canoe statement)
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To: FredZarguna

Somebody’s going into the river!


19 posted on 05/30/2015 10:59:40 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
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To: alpo

As of 3 minutes ago.
20 posted on 05/31/2015 5:05:16 AM PDT by TangoLimaSierra (To win the country back, we need to be as mean as the libs say we are.)
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