{"id":4372,"date":"2011-09-15T17:54:17","date_gmt":"2011-09-16T00:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=4372"},"modified":"2011-09-15T17:54:18","modified_gmt":"2011-09-16T00:54:18","slug":"klaus-ohlmann-sets-new-solar-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/klaus-ohlmann-sets-new-solar-records\/","title":{"rendered":"Klaus Ohlmann Sets New Solar Records"},"content":{"rendered":"

Klaus Ohlmann, 59-year-old soaring record holder, has set two new records <\/a>in September, 2011, aboard Icare 2, Stuttgart University\u2019s solar-powered sailplane.<\/p>\n

The 25 meter (82 foot) span aircraft weighs a mere 457.7 pounds empty, batteries, motor, propeller and solar cells adding another 152 pounds.\u00a0 At 805 pounds with pilot, its 25 square meters (269.1 square feet) of wing area make it a \u201cfloater\u201d in soaring terms, and probably not the \u201cpenetrator\u201d that a good cross-country machine needs to be.<\/p>\n

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Klaus Ohlmann's view on one of the record flights<\/p><\/div>\n

This makes Ohlmann\u2019s two records, the latest\u00a0of 38 total,\u00a0all the more remarkable.\u00a0 Declaring his waypoints before each flight, he flew an out-and return flight of 384.4 (238.3 miles) kilometers on August 17, then topped that with a distance flight to three waypoints of 439.3 kilometers (272.4 miles) on September 10, both flights in the Haute Alps of southern France.<\/p>\n

Its designers acknowledge the limitations of Icare2\u2019s performance.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s hardly the fastest bird in the skies, but its 25m wingspan and elegant lines make it an impressive sight. Once airborne, level flight is possible without needing to drain the batteries, and even climb is achievable if sufficient lift can be found.<\/p>\n

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Klaus Ohlmann with Icare 2. Note solar cell array on wings and indication of Seiko sponsorship<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cIcar\u00e9 2 can get airborne at around 55mph from an asphalt runway, climbing at around 2m\/sec under power. The electric motor is deceptively silent on the outside, its vibrations thrumming through the carbon fibre hull and into the cockpit.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Klaus Ohlmann cruising the Haute Alps<\/p><\/div>\n

Maximum power yields a 71.6 mile per hour top speed, perilously close to Icare 2\u2019s Vne of 73.8 mph.\u00a0\u00a0 With or without power, it is a solar-powered airplane, cruising on its cells or finding lift in thermal energy generated by the sun.\u00a0 Klaus Ohlmann is a master at exploiting either regime of flight.<\/p>\n