₦airaland Forum

(Reuters) - The flight from San Fransisco to Phoenix took 18 hours and 18 minutes on Saturday - and didn't use a drop of fuel.

A solar-powered airplane that developers hope eventually to pilot around the world landed safely in Phoenix on the first leg of an attempt to fly across the United States using only the sun's energy, project organizers said.

The plane, dubbed the Solar Impulse, took 18 hours and 18 minutes to reach Phoenix on the slow-speed flight, completing the first of five legs with planned stops in Dallas, St. Louis and Washington on the way to a final stop in New York.

The spindly-looking plane barely hummed as it took off Friday morning from Moffett Field, a joint civil-military airport near San Francisco.

It landed in predawn darkness at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, according to a statement on the Solar Impulse's website.

The flight crew plans pauses at each stop to wait for favorable weather. It hopes to reach John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York in about two months.

Swiss pilots and co-founders of the project, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, will take turns flying the plane, built with a single-seat cockpit. Piccard was at the controls for the first flight to Arizona.

The lightweight carbon fiber Solar Impulse has a wingspan of a jumbo jet and the weight of a small car and from a distance resembles a giant floating insect.

The plane was designed for flights of up to 24 hours at a time and is a test model for a more advanced aircraft the team plans to build to circumnavigate the globe in 2015. It made its first intercontinental flight, from Spain to Morocco, last June.

The aircraft is propelled by energy collected from 12,000 solar cells built into the wings that simultaneously recharge four large batteries with a storage capacity equivalent to a Tesla electric car that allow it to fly after dark.

The lightweight design and wingspan allow the plane to conserve energy, but make it vulnerable. It cannot fly in strong wind, fog, rain or clouds.

The plane can climb to 28,000 feet and flies at an average of 43 miles per hour (69 km per hour).

The project began in 2003 with a 10-year budget of 90 million euros ($112 million) and has involved engineers from Swiss escalator maker Schindler and research aid from Belgian chemicals group Solvay.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/04/us-usa-plane-solar-idUSBRE9420E120130504

Well for all the commitment phobes in the house,these are issues..
People who fall under this category come in three different groups.

-- Those who don't like having to make major decisions -- making decisions simply goes against their nature. They find it hard to stick with anything long enough to reap the benefits. Their excuse is "I am spontaneous and just don't like to plan stuff." But the difference between spontaneous people and those who don't want to make decisions is spontaneous people make plans and decisions -- but keep the options open.

-- Those who find it painful to make major decisions -- making any major decision is gut-wrenching and even traumatic. This includes major decisions like leaving a job for a new one, moving to another state/country, putting a very sick pet to "sleep", etc.

-- Those who just don't like the idea of "binding" decisions -- they see commitment as a point of "no turning back" and so feel cornered and trapped. They get anxious because commitment triggers fear of losing freedom, of being tied down, of not being able to pursue one's dreams/goals etc.

If you are the person on the receiving end of fear of commitment itself, you really are never sure if you are in a relationship or not. The person doesn't make contact until you do and between "dates" nothing is going on that shows you are in a relationship. It feels like a relationship but it also feels like a booty -call (because these are the only times you really "connect").

tpia@:
not more in number than pretty women, but often get married faster than prettier women.

will edit, not sure why you must take it personal as if you're being forced to marry someone you dont consider pretty?

Not taking anything personal..just saying

tpia@:
this doesnt explain why ugly women often get married more than pretty ones?

eg in a situation where you have an intelligent ugly woman and an intelligent pretty woman, would you like to guess which of them will settle down faster.

might not always be the pretty woman, who is more likely to prefer "exploring her options" when it comes to men.

or who some men may feel riskier marrying.

More ugly married women than pretty women? How do you know this? Is there any statistical backing or is it the usual anecdotal kind of argument? One does not necessarily have to be Miss World or miss anything for that matter but she should at least be attractive. Besides,it's even ill advised to marry a not so attractive person for posterity sake i.e for the sake of one's kids. Who doesn't like pretty kids?

There's a saying that 'women would rather have beauty than brains,because most men see better than they think'. Fact is,if you have the intelligence of Einstein & the looks of an ogre, you're at a serious disadvantage because nobody wants to identify with an atutupoyoyo. Nothing like beauty with brains,perfect combo!

imperiouxx: This pacificguy is a man trying to impose a woman, well what about trying this:

https://i39.tinypic.com/34s1c7k.gif

Lawd ham mercy!Is that a church?

Lool!This war again.Lately i've been trying to be cool with the S.As.It's turning out to be such an arduous task

Seun: Her face looks like a dead mask in these photos. It's all covered in papery paint.

Can't argue with that.Way too plastic,it's not even funny.Reminds me of the exorcist..

omaigala: Knowing fully well that people from all works (walks) of lives (life), including top politicians will grace the coronation/issuing of staff of office to newly crowned Attah Igala, at Idah local government area of Kogi state, the duo supporters took to the streets and pasted several presidential posters of the aforementioned governors.

Well, what else I can say, than to say "let the game begins".

Fixed

Wow!You guys are still going!Serious stuff

windows8: Hmm, I was in one of the occasions @ polaris hotel when pdp held a cactus meeting and oshiomole was in attendance seeking to gain the join the party and gain the governorship ticket and anenih made a joke out of him. Osho baba was disgraced but today he is the governor, politicians will ruin dis country.

Cactus ni,cactus ko.Mtcheeew!

ELgordo: damn its a damn shame the USA has started their rebellion against Gods commandments hmmmmmm its really scary the world would end soon for sure. and whats with all support coming from the president and celebretes men dont try that ish here in Nigeria oooooo

mr_man: Yes they are

Young man stop lying not all them are. Like someone said earlier,some of them have been clearly photoshopped. That being said,bodybuilding is a beautiful sport and a billion dollar industry. Reason why some choose to go the extra mile on the juice which may aid you or turn out horribly wrong.
My advice to anyone & everyone-hit the gym today,you've got no excuses

She has suddenly become 'Mummy','Pastor Mrs', 'Mother of God' or whatever they tag themseves these days

Texas.Cowgirl:
Is that you in your profile?

Why are your legs so skinny?

Funny..how did you get to see my legs .For the record,i've got legs that can lift a house.But my calves aren't so great tho,genetic stuff like Ron Coleman's

You don't need to be close to a rocket scientist to tell this is a fraud of gargantuan proportions

Vickii Ro: Haha if only u knew d half of it....I ws watching it live here last nyt......Nyt nd day to me, is of lil importance

Really?Oh well guess you'd have to watch a lil more cuz it's about to get steamy in here

Shugamania: Hmmm..
We've got our eyes on u.

Vickii Ro: Hey r u nd Cdamsel gonna do a remix of d *rated movie u guys acted yesterday cuz I'm practically a kid
#In Helen Pauls voice#My mom wnt like me reading stuffs lyk dat oooo

Not to worry.I'm pretty sure you'd be sleeping by then

Beautiful peeps on NL.Anyone seen my Cdamsel yet?

HARDDON: Api Sunday all!

17 pages already? Must have missed much.

Roll call time: ansa accordingly

Where r d Perpetrators : op?

Shaugamania , our SA Nady idindi , sleze B, Ovi

Cold and his mid nyt sax gurl cdamsel!

Did you guys seee what those two turned dis place into?

Kamsy10: I beg to disagree. You cant talk about righteousness without mentioning hell or heaven cos thats your reward for obeying or disobeying

Oh really?

Gentle Naaz: Am da cutiest, physically.

Hmm...

HARDDON: oh yuck! @Cold. Now she left you COLD! ℓ☺ℓz

You shld hv listened to me. Women luvv men with a lota challenges. Not som wussbags. Nor clueless boys .

You ενεη let ha ride d tides on you .

Sorry gee

Hmm...i hear you

cdamsel: good 9t sweeti,asked 4 tins 29t,being picked up & being kissed,u've done none of those.ll try again morrow.sweet dreams ma dear

Oh oh! Sowie dearie, will make it up to you. Nyt nyt luv xx

cdamsel: 2-like minds baby

Can't argue with that.We on the same page.Nature works in mysterious ways..hmm

cdamsel: I cld do sit up ontop of u

Hmmm...smart geh.My favorite.How did you figure that one out?

cdamsel: try working me out,I'll b ur loyal subject

Hahaha..very funny.I'll go gentle tho.No huff & puff,at least for now

cdamsel: gets her lips ready
Lay it on me cold

Uhmm..it's really getting steamy now.Feels like a workout already..

HARDDON: To weak.... Too cheap ..now you just killed d flow ...no challenge

Lay back.... And front a lil mehn!

Daz haw bawse men roll ... Ʊ dig?

Guy lighten up,I got ma steeze

cdamsel: pushes her out of her room

Cold dis room is now empty,oya,come work those hands,show me wat it can do

Seriously still tripping,oya abeg Paste a more clearer pix of ya face

These hands would do things you can't even pronounce .As per the clearer face,it's the same face on my profile.If that still ain't clear enough,will upload more later

cdamsel: say u wld totally lift me up

Mayb kiss me

It would be my pleasure

Br3nd4: *clears throat* get a room already

Lol