Aircraft
Sun fuels aircraft for Piccard
The dream of solar-powered, long-distance flight is taking shape.

The dream of solar-powered, long-distance flight is taking shape. Bertrand Piccard, one of the two pilots who became famous with the first round-the-world balloon flight, yesterday introduced a model of a sun-powered, single-pilot airplane that could fly in 2008. The latest design update of the Solar Impulse aircraft, shown here at the Paris Air Show, included noticeable design changes since program launch late in 2003. The main challenge is to be able to fly at night for intercontinental travel at low speed. The ultimate aim is to fly around the world with one stopover per continent in 2010.

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