The route for the first Round-The-World flight of the Solar Impulse 2 sun-powered aircraft was revealed yesterday by Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, the Swiss co-founders and pilots of the aircraft.
The first solar-powered plane, Si2, able to fly day and night will land in 12 locations across the world and travel 35,000 kilometres in the first attempt to fly around the globe without using a drop of fuel. For pilots Piccard and Borschberg, the drive behind their mission is to demonstrate how clean technologies and a pioneering spirit can change the world.
Si2 will take-off from Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, in late February or early March and return by late July or early August 2015.
The route includes stops in:
- Muscat, Oman
- Ahmedabad and Varanasi, India
- Mandalay, Myanmar
- Chongqing and Nanjing, China
- Hawaii, Pacific Ocean
- Phoenix, New York City, USA plus a Midwest stop to be decided on weather conditions
- After crossing the Atlantic, the final legs include a stop-over in Southern Europe or North Africa before arriving back in Abu Dhabi.
Solar Impulse unveiled the flight path in Abu Dhabi alongside partner representatives. These included main partners Solvay, Omega, Schindler and ABB. They were joined by official partners Altran, Bayer, Google, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, Swisscom and Moët Hennessy alongside Solar Impulse’s host partner Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company.
Solar Impulse 2 first solar-powered aircraft to cross oceans
“With our attempt to complete the first solar powered round-the-world flight, we want to demonstrate that clean technology and renewable energy can achieve the impossible,” said Bertrand Piccard, initiator and chairman of Solar Impulse.
“We want youth, leaders, organizations and policymakers to understand that what Solar Impulse can achieve in the air, everyone can accomplish here on the ground in their everyday lives. Renewable energy can become an integral part of our lives, and together, we can help save our planet’s natural resources.”
André Borschberg, Solar Impulse co-founder and CEO, said, “Solar Impulse is not the first solar airplane, however it is the first able to cross oceans and continents – remaining in the air for several days and nights in a row without landing. But now we have to ensure the sustainability of the pilot in order to complete the route. Solar Impulse 2 must accomplish what no other plane in the history of aviation has achieved – flying without fuel for 5 consecutive days and nights with only one pilot in the unpressurized cockpit.”
Solar Impulse 2 and its crew of 80 technicians, engineers and a communications team arrived in Abu Dhabi on 6 January 2015. During the remainder of the plane’s stay in the emirate, the team will conduct safety tests, test flights, and training to prepare for the mission ahead.
“Abu Dhabi is the ideal location for us to start and end our mission,” said Piccard. “Initiatives like Masdar have enabled the capital of the United Arab Emirates to be recognized as a global center of innovation and clean technology. Masdar shares our unwavering commitment to ensuring a cleaner future for our planet.”
During stopovers, the Solar Impulse team will organize meetings, airplane visits and Google Hangouts On Air in order to promote the mission’s message and highlight innovative technical solutions to climate change. In doing so, Solar Impulse hopes to foster an interest in clean energy amongst youth, industry professionals and government representatives seeking to implement ambitious energy policies.
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