The Conrad Foundation has announced their annual “Spirit of Innovation Challenge” and the live stream launch event, featuring special guest speaker Chip Yates…world record holder, entrepreneur and inventor. In addition to sharing five motivational life lessons with the audience, Yates will also show the nail-biting video of his recent near miss, losing power at 500 ft during an attempt to set 5 new FAI world records. The video captures the visual and audio moments from the cockpit as Yates realized he was without power and began to prepare for an emergency landing.  **Click to view the full video.    

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The Conrad Foundation is based on the legacy of the late Apollo 12 astronaut and entrepreneur, Charles “Pete” Conrad. Its programs combine education, innovation and entrepreneurship to inspire solutions for achieving global sustainability. Its flagship program is the Spirit of Innovation Challenge, an annual competition that challenges high school students to solve real-world problems by using science, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Innovator Chip Yates, who will be the launch event’s keynote speaker, has a deep and active commitment to motivating kids and teens in science, technology, engineering and math. His STEM presentations to school groups demonstrate the real-world relevance of how taking these “hard” classes can result in very rewarding careers and accomplishments.  “I want to help kids realize they’re passionate about something,” says Yates. “We need young engineers and scientists on the forefront.”

**To request a visit to your school, email info@flightofthecentury.com.

The worldwide Spirit of Innovation Challenge kickoff viewing party is scheduled for August 21, 6:00-7:00 pm (US Central Time), and the public is invited to register to view the live stream event.

Click for details and to read the full announcement.   

 After a year hiatus that included refining and testing his Long-ESA for planned groundbreaking flights this summer and fall, Chip Yates piloted his electric plane for a successful 20-minute flight at 5,500 feet to test his new battery pack from EnerDel…and all on the first anniversary of the plane’s July 19, 2012 record-breaking maiden flight (202 mph).

June 30 Taxi Test

This June, Yates announced the selection of EnerDel for his five world record ePlane attempts, airshows and the US Navy UAV contract. “I trust these cells with my life,” Yates said. The 450-volt, 80-amp-hour pack, twice the output of the battery used for last year’s flight, was taxi-tested on  June 30, for a flawless high speed 40-minute run.

And on July 19, exactly one year from the vehicle’s first test flight, the Long-ESA 2.0 completed its second major flight, at 175 mph. “We were at less than 50% throttle,” Yates said. “Our plan is to reach 250 mph.”

Photo by Brent Baer

  Click here for wired.com’s story and video of the anniversary event. 

For loyal and engaged journalism, it doesn’t get any better than wired.com, who has been following Chip Yates’ electric innovation saga from the days of his world record setting electric motorcycle adventures to the birth of his Long-ESA and the plan to fly it nonstop across the Atlantic.

Wired covered  the July 19, 2012 world record setting flight (click) of the Long-ESA and its hair-raising deadstick landing, when the plane lost propulsion power and glided somewhat shakily to the ground. But the 202.6 mph world record had been set, and it’s safe to say that Wired will be there on October 5-6, 2013 when Yates sets out to break that record at the California Capital Airshow.

This past June, Wired did a cover feature (click) on Yates’ plans to follow the path of pioneer Charles Lindburgh across the Atlantic, in his own pioneering bid to explode the frontiers of electric flight. Noting the tremendous future impact of this groundbreaking effort, Wired reports that Yates has the attention of the Pentagon. Electric aircraft have very little acoustical or thermal signature, making them well-suited to reconnaissance missions, and Yates has recently signed a cooperative research agreement with the US Navy.

The latest? Wired was on board (not literally) with coverage of the July 19, 2013 first anniversary flight (click) of the Long-ESA after a year of preparation and testing, sporting robust new batteries and a host of new technology that powered the plane to 175 mph on half throttle. Fans of wired.com will enjoy the continuing saga…all the way to the finish line.

On July 11, in preparation for his participation in the October 5-6 California Capital Airshow, Chip Yates flew to Sacramento for a fast-paced visit that included meeting with community and business leaders and with the Airshow Board of Directors.

He also took time for motivational conversation with several groups of area kids about how science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) can bring fun and adventure to their lives, a cause close to his heart. 

Some 150,000 fans at the high-visibility October airshow will witness Yates’ efforts to break his own speed record in his all-electric Long-ESA, which set the world record of 202 mph in July 2012. Sporting powerful new high-performance batteries, a mid-air recharging probe, and other new technology, Yates will attempt to achieve 230 mph in a series of high-speed fly-bys.

Of special interest to children of all ages will be Yates’ commitment to allocating plenty of time to meet and talk with kids. He will be a featured attraction for both days of the airshow, and will be available to answer questions. “I want to be an example to kids and teens,” says Yates. “I want them to see that they can use science and math to explore all the opportunities around them. I’m living proof that if you can dream it, you can build it.” 

Click here to read The Sacramento Bee’s story of Chip’s recent visit and the upcoming challenge.

Click here to hear from the Ex Dir of the California Capital Airshow about this highlight event!

Preview attractions and purchase tickets at the Airshow’s website here!