Solar impulse 2 used 269.5 m2 of solar panels to produce 66 kW peak and do 75 knots.
That’s only ~1/2 the current max efficiency of solar panels. Suggesting many other improvements are at least possible and 130 knots are within reach if that’s what was being optimized for vs say cost.
The cool thing about this craft is that it’s a glider and doesn’t use solar power for direct propulsion. Instead it uses the solar power to make the ballon lighter than air. Once it reaches altitude it will start gliding by making the ballon heavier than air. While gliding it can reach very fast speeds. The question is though how many times it needs to refill the ballon during the night and if the stored power is enough.
That's an odd assertion. This particular guy may or may not be the guy to run the FAA, I have no idea on that. But I do know that he runs an airline for a massive multi-billion dollar corporation with multiple aircraft and crews.
Claiming he has no management experience is simply false.
Even someone who is not in that kind of position, but a major airline pilot, has significant management experience simply by virtue of the position. They're not like fighter pilots alone and unafraid up there flying around for fun.
IMO, the bigger issue is the flip-flopping. It shows that not enough thought was put into the initial decision to close stores. How many other, non-visible decisions are being made on a whim?
The biggest cost in any metro area is land. There are few empty lots left to build on, and those go for a premium. Not going to give any specific listing publicity, but "$350,000 USD for 0.047 acres empty lot" is common in the residential parts of Atlanta. We recently paid $25M for 8 acres with abandoned warehouses on them, to build condos on. We're still looking at $100k land costs per condo.
Go out two counties and a 1.5 hour commute, and land is only $5k/acre. Plenty of $200k starter homes in that area. No one wants to move out there though.
Disclaimer - I work in the residential construction business
zoning laws do not help either. If you're in an area that requires a min 2 acre lot while your grandfathered neighbors have house on 1/4 acre, that surely does not help the price.
