World first solar powered flight 1979 in Lasham UK.

I wasn’t… but does anyone else look at the design and think it looks like the spawn of a sailplane and the English Electric Wren?

Given the vast improvements in solar cells since then, quite an achievement in its day!

Adrian

Exacticulement…also a question mark sorta hangs over my head when ever I see this Solar One. Why, since the pedal powered aeroplanes only need 280 watts contant power, there hasn’t been more independently on solar power flying aeroplanes since the best efficiencies ( in the lab ) are now at 46%…that is 460 watts / m2….a 10 m2 wing would yield 4600 watts ( peak power at noon ) and 6256 watts at 6 km altitude…6300 watts is around 8,4 hp. Solar Impulse II has around 20% efficient panels ( film thin type ). To get 10 hp on those you need 25 m2 of wing.

I wasn’t… but does anyone else look at the design and think it looks like the spawn of a sailplane and the English Electric Wren?

Given the vast improvements in solar cells since then, quite an achievement in its day!

Adrian