Around the world in solar airplane

Have you ever wondered by the idea airplane which circumnavigated the world that run out of the fuel? Yes it is possible, with modern technologies scientist have successfully completed and tested the airplane which only runs only by solar energy. First of all why solar energy? What is the need for the solar energy to run a plane? Does solar powered aircraft have a scope in future?

Today a plane like Boeing 747 consume a gallon of fuel for every second! Over a 10 hour flight it consumes about 36,000 gallons which approximately equal to 1, 50,000 liters. Now imagine in future same Flight, powered only by the sun, which runs out of fuel can reduce tremendous amount of pollution in the air.So far in past many solar powered aircrafts was introduced, which had some success and failures. But, we inking difference wants to give its views about Swiss long-range experimental solar-powered aircraft project Solar Impulse 1 and Solar Impulse 2.Both these solar powered aircrafts are designed and driven by pilots Piccard and Borschberg.

Solar impulse 1 was designed to stay airborne in 36 hours. It is powered by photovoltaic cells. Piccard and Borschberg completed successful solar-powered flights from Switzerland to Spain and then Morocco in 2012, and conducted a multi-stage flight across the US in 2013.

Solar impulse 2 was completed in  2014  had much technical improvements compared to solar impulse 1 such as powerful motors , more powerful solar cells. Solar impulse 2 became the first solar powered aircraft to complete first world tour when it landed the final leg in Abhu dhabi (july 2016) – same city where the historic voyage began more than a year ago, in March 2015. The wingspan of Solar Impulse 2 is 71.9 m (236 ft), the carbon-fibre Solar Impulse weighs about 2.3 tonnes, with 17,248 solar cells built into it. The solar cells recharge four lithium polymer batteries that totals to 633 kilograms each. They allow the aircraft to fly at night. The Mission Control Center (MCC) for Solar Impulse 2 has been set up in Monaco.

Solar impulse 2

Now let us look about the facts in the historical journey:

1.      It began the journey from Al Bateen Executive Airport on 9 March 2015. It was scheduled to return to the same location in August 2015.

2.      Speed of solar impulse 2  varied from 50 kms per hr and 100 kms per hr.The plane has travelled around the world with completing the distance of 40,000 kms and total of 17 flights.

Schedule of solar impulse2 flight

3.      Important goal of this voyage is to conserve energy. In order to conserve energy pilot climbed upto 29,000 feet during day time and glided down to 5000 feet at night time.

4.      Longest solo nonstop solo solar powered airplane record was achieved by Andre Borschberg when he began a flight from Nagoya in Japan to Hawaii, which lasted nearly 118 hours and covered the distance about 7212 kms!

5.      Piccard was at the helm during the last leg of the journey a flight from Cairo to the UAE that lasted more than 48 hours.

6.      The pilots had to fly, sleep for 20 minutes at a time, eat and relieve themselves in their seat

7.     During the journey in the Pacific Ocean, solar cells was overheated. They had to take a break in Hawaii to finish the technical failures which delayed in completing the world tour.

8.      Private sponsors mainly funded the Solar Impulse project, which cost USD 170 million.

After successfully completing the mission, both pilots expressed that the solar project began 14 years ago not only to advance aviation technology but also to raise awareness about climate change. Well they did make a difference and  made the world astonished by their accomplishments!!!!!