SWITZERLAND: Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard unveils solar airplane with project to fly around the world
Record ID:
785060
SWITZERLAND: Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard unveils solar airplane with project to fly around the world
- Title: SWITZERLAND: Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard unveils solar airplane with project to fly around the world
- Date: 30th June 2009
- Summary: DUEBENDORF, SWITZERLAND (JUNE 26, 2009) (REUTERS) SWISS ADVENTURER AND SOLAR IMPULSE PROJECT INITIATOR BERTRAND PICCARD AND SWISS ENGINEER AND SOLAR IMPULSE FELLOW PILOT ANDRE BORSCHBERG UNVEILING THE SOLAR IMPULSE AIRPLANE BERTRAND PICCARD AT THE CURTAIN ZOOM IN ON THE SOLAR IMPULSE PLANE PICCARD AND BORSCHBERG SHAKING HANDS PROPELLER ON THE AIRPLANE PAN ON THE AIRPLANE'S TOTAL WINGSPAN SOLAR IMPULSE SIGN ON THE PLANE
- Embargoed: 15th July 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Switzerland
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVADWKBY2QINBE5CKZ8WOY02HYVN
- Story Text: An airplane that flies only on solar energy may seem like science fiction but this is the latest project introduced by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard nearby Zurich on Friday (June 26).
Bertrand Piccard, who made history with his balloon trip around the world in 1999, unveiled his solar aircraft in which he aims to repeat his round-the-world record.
The aim of his project is to highlight the possibilities of alternative energy sources using advanced technology. According to the scientist, if solar energy can fly an airplane around the world, it can fuel anything in daily life.
"The real message of Solar Impulse is to show to the people in the daily life, that if an airplane can fly around the world with no fuel and no pollution, everybody can use this technology to run cars, heating systems, air conditioning, computers, everything is possible because we have the technologies available. What we are missing is the political visions, incentives and the rules that will go from these technologies from the labs into the industrialisation that people can buy in order to reduce their impact on the environment", Piccard told Reuters Television after unveiling his Solar Impulse airplane.
Some 800 people came to see the impressive innovation, including prominent guests such as Albert II of Monaco.
With the wingspan of a Boeing 747-400 (63 meters) and the weight of an average family car (1600 kilo), the aircraft is disproportionately light for its size and is designed to carry just two pilots.
Over 12,000 solar cells mounted onto the wing will power the four electric motors of the HB-SIA plane, which have a maximum power of 10 horse power each. High-performance batteries will also save surplus energy.
Friday's launch came after six years' work by 50 engineers and technicians on the project, Solar Impulse, which has a number of high-profile backers including Deutsche Bank, Omega and Swiss chemicals maker Solvay.
Piccard and his fellow pilot Andre Borschberg hope to conduct first flight tests in September this year and a complete night flight early in 2010, before flirting with jet streams in the plane's successor, hopefully starting 2012.
HB-SIA combines innovative aerodynamic features, novel light-weight materials strong enough to resist pressures at high altitude and solar technology.
The plane's successor, HB-SIB, will likely be even bigger, enabling Piccard and Borschberg to fly around the world in five stages along a path similar to the one he took in his Orbiter 3 ballon a decade ago. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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