On Monday, July 6, 2015 at 9:43:50 AM UTC-4, John B. wrote:




But... at least from all I can find, the Solar Impulse is very much a
powered glider. Powered with an electric motor(s) true but as an
airplane not a really new thing. It is made of new materials and self
charges but what else? The Rutan Voyager flew around the world in 1986
without stopping or refueling and was airborne for 216+ hours and flew
26,366 statue miles.

While it certainly is a feat it isn't anything really new or
innovative in aeronautics.

By the way, the record for a model airplane - with no power - seems to
be 36h 3mn 19s :-)
--
cheers,

John B.

I forget most of the detail , but another feat was a model airplane that flew across the Atlantic using GPS for guidance. But it was a powered airplane.

Did a google search and found this.

http://www.barnardmicrosystems.com/U...rossing_2.html

But that was not the model airplane I was thinking of.

Dan