Solar Impulse 2 completed the first ever round-the-world flight in a solar-powered aircraft July 25 with a landing in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, after a two-day, 37-minute flight from Cairo, Egypt.
Advertisement
“Taking turns at the controls of Solar Impulse 2 (Si2)-their zero-emission electric and solar airplane, capable of flying day and night without fuel-Piccard and Borschberg succeeded in their insane dream of achieving the first ever round-the-world solar flight”, according to a media statement by the Solar Impulse team.
Swiss explorers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, Solar Impulse founders and pilots, took turns piloting the aircraft with a wingspan larger than a Boeing 747 and weighing only as much as a family vehicle.
Dubbed the “paper plane”, Solar Impulse 2 circumnavigated the globe in 17 stages, with 58-year-old Piccard and his compatriot Andre Borschberg taking turns at the controls of the single-seater. Piccard said that he wants Solar Impulse to revive interest in promoting clean technology. It landed in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, marking the first round-the-world, day and night flight powered only by the sun. “My deepest admiration and respect for your courage”, Ban told pilot of the aircraft, Captain Bertrand Piccard, as he hailed the determination and courage of the Solar Impulse flight team in a live-streamed conversation.
The aircraft itself was first conceived by a pair of Swiss adventurers, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, who also piloted the aircraft. “Let’s take it further”.
Earlier, Borschberg had created history for the longest uninterrupted flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii that lasted almost 118 hours. The technical difficulties grounded the plane for nine months before it was able to resume its journey. “The solar airplane has now successfully made it full circle around the world, proving that clean technologies can really achieve the impossible”. The wings of the plane have 17,249 solar cells, which power four electric engines in addition to the rechargeable lithium batteries.
Abu Dhabi’s green energy firm Masdar is the official host partner of Solar Impulse 2. The pilots use oxygen tanks to breathe at high altitude and wear suits specially created to cope with the extreme conditions. Borschberg’s journey over the Pacific Ocean at 118 hours shattered the record for the longest flight duration by an aircraft flying solo.
Goggles worn over the pilot’s eyes flashed lights to wake him up while armbands worn underneath their suits buzzed when the plane was not at flying level.
Piccard believes the Solar Impulse 2 could inspire global action to tackle climate change.
The project is estimated to cost more than $100 million.
Advertisement
40 additional sponsors, including Omega, Belgian chemical company Solvay, Swedish-Swiss automation corporation ABB, Swiss manufacturer Schindler, Google and Moet Hennessey also helped fund the project.
