Peter Lobner
Solar Impulse 2 completed its around-the-world mission when pilot Bertrand Piccard landed on 26 July 2016 at 00:05 PM UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) in Abu Dhabi, UAE after completing leg 17, which was a 48 hour 7 minute, 2694 km (1674 mile) flight from Cairo, Egypt. This historic mission began on 9 March 2015 from Abu Dhabi and covered more than 42,000 km (26,097 miles) before Solar Impulse 2 returned to its starting point.
Source: Solar Impulse
Source: Solar Impulse
Source: Solar Impulse
André Borschberg (l) and pilot Bertrand Piccard (r). Source: Solar Impulse
The Solar Impulse 2 team posted the following message on their website:
“Taking turns at the controls of Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) – their zero-emission electric and solar airplane, capable of flying day and night without fuel – Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg succeeded in their crazy dream of achieving the first ever Round-The-World Solar Flight. By landing back in Abu Dhabi after a total of 21 days of flight travelled in a 17-leg journey, Si2 has proven that clean technologies can achieve the impossible.”
Congratulations to pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg and the entire Solar Impulse 2 team for accomplishing this incredible milestone in aviation history.
Source: Solar Impulse
For more information on the historic around-the world mission of Solar Impulse 2, visit the team’s website at the following link:
Also see my following posts:
- 23 May 2016: Solar Impulse 2 is Making its way Across the USA
- 27 February 2016: Solar Impulse 2 Preparing for the Next Leg of its Around-the-World Journey
- 3 July 2015: Solar Impulse 2 Completes Record Solo, Non-Stop, Solar-Powered Flight from Nagoya, Japan to Oahu, Hawaii
- 10 March 2015: Solar Impulse 2 Designed for Around-the-World Flight on Solar Power