A historic aviation achievement
The Solar Impulse HB-SIA has successfully flown through the night using the power of the Sun. The historic 26-hour solar powered flight has captured the world’s imagination; but the remarkable achievement will be topped if the Solar Impulse project’s ultimate goal of circumnavigating the globe using only the power of the Sun is achieved.
André Borschberg, CEO and co-founder of the Solar Impulse project, piloted the aircraft, which landed this morning (8 July) at Payerne airport in Switzerland. A large crowd of supporters gathered to celebrate the achievement. The flight was the longest and highest in the history of solar aviation, with the aircraft reaching a height of 8,700m (28,543 ft). The HB-SIA has 12,000 solar cells arranged on top of its wing, in addition to batteries, which stored enough energy to power the aircraft for the flight, allowing it to stay in the air even after the Sun's rays had faded.
Borschberg has spoken of his feelings during the incredible journey: “Just sitting there and watching the battery charge level rise and rise thanks to the sun, and then that suspense, not knowing whether we were going to manage to stay up in the air the whole night. And finally the joy of seeing the sun rise and feeling the energy beginning to circulate in the solar panels again!”
The environmental benefits of the aircraft were not lost in the euphoria. “I have just flown more than 26 hours without using a drop of fuel and without causing any pollution!” said Borschberg. The flight is surely a perfect example of how the aviation industry can achieve environmental progress, with the right ambition and dedication.
The team will now build a more advanced version of the HB-SIA for the next stages of the project. Bertrand Piccard, Solar Impulse initiator and president, said the historic flight “allows us to get closer to the perpetual flight without using a drop of fuel!”
