SolarImpulse - Around The World patch.
June 30, 2015
Japan-Hawaii - André Borschberg is now completely "in the ocean challenge," according to organizers. The flight is going "very well".
The Solar Impulse 2 aircraft continued to fly calmly above the Pacific on the night of Monday 29 to Tuesday, June 30, almost 30 hours after takeoff from Japan towards Hawaii, according to information given by the organizers of this challenge .
Tuesday at 07.30 Japan time (23:30 Switzerland), the aircraft was above the ocean at an altitude of 8350 meters, flying over a thick layer of clouds, according to images broadcast online.
Solar Impulse 2 above the ocean at an altitude of 8350 meters, flying over a thick layer of clouds
The pilot, André Borschberg, then quietly conversed with the engineers in the control center located in Monaco. "This is a fabulous time, the flight is going very well," he assured his cockpit since.
"Completely in the ocean challenge"
He then traveled 1,720 km since leaving Nagoya (Central Japan) on the night of Sunday to Monday.
His aerial crossing of trafficking alone, over a distance of 7,900 km to Hawaii, should last about 120 hours or 5 days and 5 nights.
"20% of the journey has already been made. André Borschberg is now fully in the ocean challenge, "the organizers said.
"Many critical moments take place before the arrival in Hawaii," warned one of the leaders of the Solar Impulse communication in a video.
"The kind of moment I dreamed"
"This is the kind of times I dreamed see that plane flying as long without burning fuel," rejoiced over internet Bertrand Piccard, project designer and second pilot alternately.
"I have no shower, but we have enough means to make life possible in the cockpit several days and in these conditions," stated André Borschberg.
Image above: This is the second attempt at crossing the Pacific; the first, a month ago, had to be aborted when the weather got much worse. Shown is a map of the approximate route that will be taken.
The driver is subjected to temperature conditions ranging from about -20 degrees Celsius to +30 degrees Celsius.
The ground crew supervising the behavior of the aircraft when the pilot sits for periods of 20 minutes. He uses techniques of yoga and meditation to relax.
Blocked a month in Japan
Solar Impulse 2 departure from Nagoya
Solar Impulse 2, whose wings are covered with photovoltaic cells, had been blocked for nearly a month in Japan by bad weather, but ended up finding a favorable time window to take off Monday before dawn and launch to conquer the Pacific.
The plane, which had also had to wait before a month in China, was away on March 9 Abu Dhabi to a world tour of 35,000 kilometers to promote the use of renewable energy, particularly solar energy.
For more information about Solar Impulse Around The World, visit: http://www.solarimpulse.com/
Images, Text, Credits: SolarImpulse/AFP/Orbiter.ch Aerospace.
Cheers, Orbiter.ch
