ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The world’s first round-the-world flight to be powered exclusively by the sun’s energy made history Tuesday as it landed in Abu Dhabi, where it first took off on an epic 25,000-mile (40,000-kilometer) journey that began more than a year ago.
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Solar Impulse touched down in the UAE on its 17th and final leg after a short flight from Cairo, concluding a 42,000 kilometre journey that saw it cross two oceans, three seas and four continents.
Since leaving Abu Dhabi in March previous year piloted by CEO and co-founder André Borschberg, the solar-powered aircraft has visited 16 cities across eight countries and four continents, with both Piccard and Borschberg taking turns at the controls, as part of efforts to gather global support for the adoption of solar energy and clean technologies.
The aircraft is a single-seater, so the two men have shared the flying by taking different legs of the journey.
“If an airplane has succeeded to fly day and night without fuel, then we can power our world on clean energy”.
Bertrand Piccard, one of the Solar Impusle 2 pilots, said that there needs to be a greater emphasis on the importance of renewable energy in order for wide scale solar powered flight to become a reality.
Aside from continuing to promote renewable energy, they plan to launch an worldwide council to advise governments and develop new applications for clean energy technology. Upon landing, Solar Impulse 2 broke a total of 19 official aviation records.
Dr Piccard, 58, has said he launched the project in 2003 to show that renewable energy “can achieve the impossible”.
The adventure began with Bertrand Piccard’s vision that clean technologies and energy efficiency can reduce our emissions and improve our quality of life.
The pilots also had to demonstrate the mental stamina required to tackle vast distances alone at a cruising speed of no more than 90 km (56 miles) per hour and altitudes of up to 9,000 meters (29,500 feet). “We made it! Altogether, we did it!”
The pilots used oxygen tanks to breathe at high altitude and wore suits specially created to cope with the extreme conditions. Let’s take it further, ‘ Piccard said, concluding the 13-year exploit.
Built at a cost of $150 million, Si2 is seen as an airborne laboratory, made from technological solutions developed by a multidisciplinary team of 80 specialists and more than a hundred partners and consultants.
Buffeted by strong desert winds, Solar Impulse 2 had a bumpy leg to the culmination point in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday of a stupendous circumnavigation of the globe.
The pair set out on this world tour with the mission aiming to raise and promote solar power and clean technology.
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“My fame is not there to suffocate Andre, but to carry the project”, Piccard said.
