Solar Impulse 2: la nuova frontiera del volo - New frontier of flight

Altro che giro del mondo in 80 giorni. L'impresa di Solar impulse 2, l'evoluzione del primo aereo alimentato a energia solare, avrebbe fatto impallidire anche Jules Verne probabilmente. Il Solar di mesi per fare il giro del mondo ce ne metterà 5, divisi in dodici tappe, ma alla fine avrà dimostrato che viaggiare e volare solo a energia solare è un futuro possibile. 

Abu Dhabi: The Solar Impulse 2 took off from Abu Dhabi on Monday morning in an epic adventure marking the start of its five-month journey across the world powered solely by the sun, before it heads back to Abu Dhabi in late July. Dignitaries and media gathered together on the tarmac of Al-Bateen Executive Airport to watch the take off of the single-seat aircraft. It will be fully powered by solar energy for the entirety of its trip -- and will not consume a single drop of fossil fuel to keep it in the sky. The aircraft was piloted by André Borschberg, one of the founders of the Solar Impulse 2, for its maiden flight to Muscat, Oman. Betrand Piccard, the co-founder behind the project, will then pilot the aircraft for its second journey, with both pilots alternating for the 12 flights. The Solar Impulse 2 will face tough challenges: Some flights will take as long as five days straight, when it crosses the Pacific towards the United States, for a total of 120 hours of flying time.

Cockpit Solar Impulse 2