'Eternal' Solar Plane Stays Two Weeks Aloft 37
An anonymous reader writes "The BBC has a story on the confirmation of the record breaking flight of Qinetiq's Zephyr UAV: 'The UK-built solar-powered Zephyr aeroplane has been confirmed as a record-breaker following its non-stop two-week flight earlier this year. The world governing body for air sports records, the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), gave Zephyr three records including longest time aloft. Built by defense technology company Qinetiq, the craft completed its two-week flight in the US in July. The company sees applications in surveillance and communications. The July feat led to Zephyr being dubbed the "eternal plane."' YouTube has some footage of the Zephyr in action."
Re:Record time aloft? (Score:5, Funny)
Not even close. What about "Five Weeks in a Balloon"?
And there have been astronauts and cosmonauts on Mir and ISS for 6 months at a time...
I think they're referring to heavier-than-air atmospheric flying machines here. And if you were just trying to be funny, it didn't work...
But if we accept any flying contraption, then the Moon has been flying for about 4 billion years already. Those clever Swiss, they sure know how to make cheese that works like a clockwork!