Flying With Solar Power

Bertrand Piccard open cockpit HB-SIA aircraft, which has just landed at the International Airport Rabat, Morocco. Dozens of people, including leader of Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN), applauded the pilots who flew the plane to welcome fueled the sun's energy.

The experimental aircraft "Solar Impulse", HB-SIA, with Solar Impulse's Chief Executive Officer and pilot Andre Borschberg takes off for its first intercontinental flight to Morocco at the airbase in Payerne, Switzerland, Thursday, May 24, 2012. (Picture from: http://business.financialpost.com/)

"In addition to technical and political reasons to fly to Morocco, flights across the Strait of Gibraltar is a magical and exciting moments in my career as an aviator," said Piccard, Solar Impulse project leader, told reporters in Rabat Airport, Tuesday.

The solar powered aircraft Solar Impulse. (Picture from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/)

The project was built in 2004 by Piccard (a Swiss doctors and balloon pilots) and Andre Borschberg, a businessman from Switzerland. The project goal is flying around the world with solar-powered aircraft. In collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne or EPFL), another mission of this project is to create solar-powered flight without pollution.

The gigantic, but ultra-lightweight dimensions of this revolutionary airplane - capable of flying day and night without fuel - are its trademark feature. (Picture from: http://www.theurbn.com/)

In July 2010, the Solar Impulse made history as the first manned airplane that has the ability to fly only with solar power. On May 13, 2012, they began their mission which called 2012 Crossing Fronties or flying over the African continent as far as 2,500 miles. Bertrand and Andre turns to the pilot.

In the first leg, the aircraft flew from Switzerland to Madrid, Spain. The next leg, where Bertrand became a pilot, the aircraft flew from Madrid to Rabat, Morocco. Since November last year and the Solar Impulse worked together with MASEN to design the 2012 Crossing Fronties mission.

Solar Impulse pilots Bertrand Piccard, center, celebrates with Andre Borschberg, right, and Mustapha Bakkoury, president of the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy upon arrival at Rabat airport, Morocco, June 5, 2012. (Picture from: http://www.cbsnews.com/)

"We share the same message to the Solar Impulse that solar energy is no longer confined to the scientific world, but be an integral part of everyday life," said President of MASEN, Mustafa Bakkoury. According to him, the largest solar power plant in the world owned by MASEN will operate in 2014, coinciding with the program Solar Impulse world tour.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) set Bertrand as Champions of the Earth. "The mission is to grow awareness and urgency to increase investment in renewable energy sector," said UNEP spokesman. Piccard In addition, there are six other figures who received the title of which will be given to the Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil in the 20 to 22 June 2012.

Fly by solar power. (Picture from: KORAN TEMPO 3904)

The uniqueness of this plane contained in the fuel. Fuel is used instead of aviation fuel which is derived from fossil fuels or petroleum. Electrical energy to drive the machine was obtained from 12 thousand solar cell that is in the wings and tail. This capacity is only able to fly a plane with a speed of 70 kilometers per hour (44 mph) or equivalent average speed of 100 cc motorcycles. No doubt, the flight from Madrid, Spain, to be reached Rabat International Airport for 19 hours.

So that the aircraft can be flown with minimal electrical power, designer make Solar Impulse is very slim. This aircraft has a wing length of 21.85 meters with 63.4 meters of width, equivalent to the Airbus A340. Material of the fuselage is made of carbon fiber, so the total weight of the aircraft was only 1,600 kilograms.

Single-seater aircraft was successfully completed its mission. "This flight marks a new stage in the history of our project because it made it to the other continents," said Andre Borschberg. According to him, these improve the success of Solar Impulse confidence in the application of new technologies they create. *** [SOLAR IMPULSE | TELEGRAPH | UNTUNG WIDYANTO | KORAN TEMPO 3904]

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