SolarImpulse - Around the World patch.
June 1, 2015
Solar Impulse 2, piloted by André Borschberg, landed in Monday night shortly after 16:30 (Swiss time) on Nagoya Airport in Japan.
The solar plane had to interrupt its journey which will take him to Hawaii because of the weather.
Image above: Solar plane does not rally Hawaii from China. After a little more than a day flight, Solar Impulse 2 was forced to land in Japan.
Bertrand Piccard, who oversees operations from the control center in Monaco, said that while "we left China, the weather conditions were acceptable to Hawaii. They have deteriorated. Crossing an active front with icing, rain, turbulence, it is not at all intended for our plane. This is an aircraft that flies slowly, sensitive to turbulence, which needs sun to recharge its batteries, "said he said.
"Around the world may not advance as fast as we would like, but it is not a race. The goal is to get there, " said Bertrand Piccard, the second pilot alternately to the airplane.
Intermediate landing
"At security level, it was much better to make an intermediate landing in Nagoya, and there wait for weather conditions to improve. It was the last place where one could land safely. Small islands here and there in the Pacific are not alternatives at all ", further detailed the Swiss pilot.
Image above: Solar Impulse 2, which began early Sunday its long Pacific crossing off from China, suffered a setback in prevision of bad weather.
"The weather window has deteriorated. We decided to make an intermediate landing in Nagoya! " He had earlier announced on the official website of the organizers with a Tweet. Their spokesman, Marc Baumgartner, for his part said the ats that this forced stopover in Japan was in no way due to a battery problem.
Japan thanked
First announced Monday at 15:00 (Swiss time), landing there was a hour and a half later, the aircraft having had to wait over the archipelago. The organizers thanked the Japanese authorities have been able to organize emergency arrival in Japan of this aircraft powered by photovoltaic cells.
Landing in Nagoya for Solar Impulse 2
Video above: two Solar Impulse, the solar-powered plane attempting a round-the-world flight, has landed in Japan safely after having to change course due to adverse weather conditions.
"We say thank you to our Japanese friends who have been very accommodating to give us permission at the last minute, ask their territory," added Bertrand Piccard.
Slight disappointment
Advanced disappointment was evident in the words of Bertrand Piccard: "We are a bit disappointed not to make the non-stop journey from China to Hawaii. But it is already a special plane flying 40 hours without fuel, just with solar energy. We are extremely pleased with the behavior of the aircraft. The demonstration of the technical feasibility is there. This aircraft shows what can be done with clean technologies, "he said.
"We try to make a historic first and the first historical have never made easily. Often it takes several attempts. We'll see if we succeed this year. But the team is super motivated, "said Bertrand Piccard again.
Solar Impulse 2 took off Sunday at 2:39 (Swiss 8:39 p.m. Saturday) Nanjing (Eastern China) to the most dangerous stage of its world tour. The pilot had to take six days and six nights. This departure from Nanjing, where the plane was parked since April 21, had already been postponed several times due to inclement weather.
Never the unit has flown over an ocean or only stayed in the air more than 24 hours. This means if the Pacific crossing is a technological challenge and a historical aeronautical feat.
For more information about Solar Imapulse Around the World, visit: http://www.solarimpulse.com/
Images, Video, Text, Credits: SolarImpulse/ATS/Orbiter.ch Aerospace.
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