SolarImpulse - Destination Morocco patch.
July 25, 2012
Toulouse to Payerne – HB-SIA over Puy-de-Dôme area (France)
Piloted by Bertrand Piccard, HB-SIA majestically landed in the warm-shaded landscape of Payerne’s summer evening, Tuesday 24 July, at 06:30 PM (UTC). The public and Solar Impulse team were cheering, chins up, some with sunglasses and others shading their eyes with their bare hands, as the solar aircraft graciously touched the runway. The final touchdown concluded Solar Impulse’s and the world’s first fully solar-powered intercontinental flight.
Toulouse to Payerne – Landing in Payerne AFB (Switzerland)
The Made in Switzerland trademark was perceptible from all angles as the swissness of the event couldn’t be resumed better: rolling hills of the Canton Fribourg farmlands in the background, Swiss Alphorns filling the air with deep and wooing sounds and spectators displaying their Swiss flags with “Congratulations!” signs high in the air. The Solar Impulse team was moved by the amount of people that came to see the closing of these mission flights, demonstrating the public's support for the vision.
SolarImpulse landing at Payerne (Switzerland)
Every landing is an emotion in of itself. HB-SIA is seemingly immune from redundancy and routine but despite this, there was something magical about this mission’s final touchdown. Although I can’t speak for all members of the team, I am sure there was an overall feeling of accomplishment, confidence in the project’s message and pride in what has been achieved when the solar aircraft made its appearance in the Swiss skies.
Toulouse to Payerne – Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg after landing in Switzerland
The 2012 Crossing Frontiers mission flights wouldn’t have been possible without all the amazing support that was provided along HB-SIA’s journey to Africa and back but as we say in an old Croatian proverb “it’s wonderful to experience everything, but it’s always nicer to return home”.
Flight Report: Toulouse-Payerne:
Pilot: Bertrand Piccard
Date: 24.07.2012
Take-off time: 05:01 AM UTC
Time of landing: 06:30 PM UTC
Flight duration: 13h 29min
Average speed: 34 kts
Average altitude: 3596 metres
Crossing Frontiers fun facts:
- Over 6000 km flown in 8 legs
- 4 countries
- 2 continents
- Over 2'723'391 unique visitors of the solar impulse website
- Over 4'164'130 viewers of the LIVE broadcastings
- World’s first fully solar-powered intercontinental flight
- 3 Air Sports Federation (FAI) records recorded and being reviewed
For more information about SolarImpulse, visit: http://solarimpulse.com/en/
Images, Video, Text, Credits: SolarImpulse / Laurent Kaeser.
Cheers, Orbiter.ch
