Today the story of Solar Impulse is featured at CNN News.  But the solar aircraft was a challenge.  Have a look at the high speed Taxi tests.

According to CNN today,  “When Bertrand Piccard came up with his audacious plan to fly around the world in an aircraft powered only by the sun, he found that airplane manufacturers were skeptical such a plane could be built.So who built the first model of ” Solar Impulse,” Piccard’s $72-million solar-powered craft?   A company that makes ships.”

“Piccard, who won the first transatlantic balloon race and commanded the first balloon flight around the world, told CNN, ‘Each time we asked the aeronautical industry to build that airplane, they told us it’s impossible. We cannot make an airplane so light and so big.

‘So who did we ask for some help? A boat manufacturer. They had no idea it was impossible, so they built the pieces in carbon fiber and now we have an airplane.’”

Read the full interview and story Opinion: Solar-powered adventure

The following video is the unveiling last June.

Copyright 2009 Rita Watson/ All Rights Reserved