On Tue, 07 Jul 2015 20:05:50 +0700, John B.
wrote:

On Mon, 6 Jul 2015 21:10:52 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"John B." wrote in message
. ..
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 09:50:24 -0400, Ed Huntress
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?

It flew 2/3 of the way across the Pacific, to Hawaii, in one hop and
flying at night -- on solar power.

But so what? Is it really important that something is powered with
electricity flew? Good Lord, electric powered model airplanes have
been flying for some time now. It is not new!

Some time ago some blokes flew a human powered airplane across the
English Channel and everyone clapped their hands and shouted, but so
far I haven't seen that technology used commercially.

After all Solar power has been used by a great many people for a
considerable period and noticeably it is not really a reliable
source
of power. When the sun runs away and hides your lights go out.

That's why it got headlines. That's what will stick in some people's
minds when solar power is discussed.

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.

Right. It got some headlines, too. But it wasn't solar powered. It
isn't going to create a new awareness for gasoline. d8-)

Yup. New awareness. Well, they have a solar powered land racing, I
believe in Australia is, something like 3,000 miles long. And it has
been going on since 1987. Has there been new awareness in the car
industry?


John B.

I worked as lithium battery tech for an electric vehicle engineer who
had helped build one of those solar cars, possibly Sunraycer. He
wasn't particularly excited about the practical value of solar powered
transportation.



Years ago I was on th periphery of Formula Ford racing in S.
California. Met a bunch of both owners and builders and I don't
remember any of them worrying about any practical value. Mostly they
talked about ways to cheap without getting caught :-)

And, as a former SCCA and CART tech inspector, I probably caught more
violators in FF than in any other class. We called it the "Tyro"
class. d8-)

--
Ed Huntress