The Plane That Does Not Need Fuel

March 10, 2015 Faye Grech Archives 0

Bertrand Piccard is a Swiss psychiatrist and balloonist who, following his successful, non-stop balloon flight around the globe, is currently flying the first round-the-world flight on a solar-powered aircraft.

In 2003, Bertrand presented the project of constructing a solar airplane capable of flying around the world. André Borschberg was entrusted with managing and leading this project. Following the assembling of the team and the unveiling of the aircraft, the professional test pilot, Markus Scherdel, began testing the aircraft and certified it for night flights. Breaking three world records, on July 7th 2010, André Borschberg flew the first solar night flight. The next major milestone for this aircraft was on the 21st to the 22nd September, when it flew across Switzerland, landing in Geneva and Zurich.

After flying across the Mediterranean and coast-to-coast from West to East America, it is time for the final adventure: the first round-the-world solar flight. Taking off from Abu Dhabi yesterday morning, 9th March, with Bertrand Piccard at the commands for up to six days straight, he will fly as far as he can and then he’ll land and let his fellow pilot, André Borschberg, take over. The journey plans to take a total of six months.

Borschberg and Piccard have been working on the project for around 11 years. They claim that their passion is what will psychologically drive them to be in such a small space for days at a time. Piccard also explains that his biggest fear is finding themselves above the ocean during bad weather with the unfortunate possibility of having to bail and wait for several days on a life raft before being found. He also explained that they have to be ready for that eventuality and that it is part of the adventure.

The Solar Impulse 2 is equipped with solar panels on the wings, fusilage and tail as well as four electric motors. The plane will fly, charge the batteries and run the engine in daylight. At night, it runs on the batteries. According to Piccard, “theoretically, your plane can fly forever”. Piccard has a lot more to say about the solar-powered airplane and cleaner technologies. He believes that “the commercial airplane is at the end of a cycle that started 100 years ago. Solar Impulse is at the beginning of another cycle – the cycle of navigation with no fuel”.

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About Faye Grech 4 Articles
She is a psychology student at the University of Malta and hopes to specialize in child psychology. She lives in the quiet town of Pembroke, a perfect place to sit by the sea and paint or read a good book. She enjoys reading, especially about psychology. Reading, as well as my everyday experiences, are what inspires her to write. She works as a part time cabin crew whilst she studies. Her summers are very busy and packed with flights, and she enjoys it. Every flight is a different experience and adventure. She has always had a love for aviation, which has grown stronger throughout her months of flying. Another of her interests is art, which she has been doing ever since she could hold a pencil in her little hands. She has practised art in junior and senior school and in her free time. She has qualified in art at an ordinary as well as at an intermediate level and has also done some art tutoring along the years. As a life philosophy, she lives by the quote; "I know the price of success: dedication, hard work and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen" - Frank Lloyd Wright.