flight

Solar-Powered Plane Takes First Tentative Flight

Kit Eaton — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:48:41 -0500

Yesterday marks a small but significant moment in history: Test pilot Markus Scherdel flew the Solar Impulse aircraft for the first time. It's amazing because Solar Impulse is entirely solar-powered, and took to the sky through simple light from the sun.

Solar-Powered Plane Prepping for Round-World Trip

Kit Eaton — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:52:09 -0500

Someday soon Bertrand Piccard is going to throw the switches on his Solar Impulse Foundation aircraft, tug back on the stick and pull it into the air. Then he'll fly it right around the world. The impressive technology demonstrator's just about to take its maiden flight. Let's hope it's not cloudy.

Qatar Airways Completes First Natural Gas-Powered Passenger Flight

Ariel Schwartz — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:17:47 -0400

Hot on the heels of news that natural gas reserves have risen to 1.2 trillion barrels of oil equivalent--a 60 year supply--Qatar Airlines announced that it has completed the first passenger flight powered completely by natural gas.

NASA's Green Flight Challenge: The Ultimate Flying Car Competition

Ariel Schwartz — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:15:32 -0400

Instead of waiting for the inevitable aircraft X Prize, engineers can bring their sustainable plane ideas to NASA and the Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency Foundation's Green Flight Challenge.

First Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Plane Takes to the Skies

Ariel Schwartz — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:01:38 -0400

The world's first plane powered solely by hydrogen fuel cells took off on its maiden flight Tuesday from Hamburg Airport in Germany. The Antares DLR-H2's 10-minute flight showed off the plane's 105-mph-speed capabilities and quiet electric glide motor. Eventually, the German Aerospace Center-sponsored Antares will be able to hit 300 mph.

Virgin Galactic: Space Flights Will Turn Us All Into Environmentalists

Ariel Schwartz — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:53:25 -0400

Virgin Galactic president Will Whitehorn told Reuters yesterday that he is convinced space tourism is both viable and environmentally sound. The company has already received $40 million in deposits from potential tourist-astronauts, including Stephen Hawking and ex-race car driver Niki Lauda.

Shifting Routes In The Airline Industry

Melissa Kinsey — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:00:37 -0500

It could have been the beginning of a bachelor party: The margaritas were chilling, the guys were kind of restless, the nachos were hot, and so were the half-dozen leggy, beaming girls who looked as if they had just finished a photo shoot for Hooters Air.