The Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) team has just announced the point of departure and completion for their Around-the-World Mission Flights which will take place over 5 months from the beginning of March to the end of July 2015.
The distance covered in this pending record-breaking journey is 35,000km (22,000 miles) and will consist of approximately 10 legs—some lasting more than 5 days and nights—and take roughly 500 flying hours to complete. This feat will be accomplished by 2 pilots, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, flying one after the other in the single-seater cockpit.
Solar Impulse tells us that Abu Dhabi, capital city of the United Arab Emirates, will be the start and finish of the first solar-powered flight around the world.
Image courtesy of Solar Impulse
This well-matched partnership will show Abu Dhabi to be a centre of expertise when it comes to renewable energy and at the same time Solar Impulse will demonstrate the far-reaching applications of clean energy during the first solar-powered flight around the world. –Bertrand Piccard.
Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, is the host partner of Solar Impulse. The team will be hosted by Masdar and Abu Dhabi at the start of January for testing and training before the start of the first solar-powered flight around the world.
We have chosen this location as being the best and most suitable departure point for the round-the-world tour, due to its climate, infrastructure and commitment to clean technologies. –André Borschberg.
Si2 will be delivered to Abu Dhabi by cargo plane from the Payerne aerodrome in Switzerland towards the end of the year and will be showcased during the World Future Energy Summit as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, which is hosted by Masdar between 17 and 22 January 2015.
The route: from the deserts of the Arabian Gulf, dodging the unrelenting Indian monsoon, flying over the Burmese temples and the Great Wall of China, followed by two oceans crossings (with an American “dream” break in between), all to come back around to where it all began in the Arabian Gulf.
And here’s something long awaited by Si2 fans: Inspired by the world of Solar Impulse, the original “Si2” product line is now available online. Your support will help fund the team’s
educational activities. Check out their official shop here.
Source: 1Sun4All. Reproduced with permission.
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