Historic solar-powered, round-the-world flight a success

ABB alliance partner Solar Impulse has made history by completing the first ever round-the-world flight powered only by energy from the sun.

The plane landed at its starting point in Abu Dhabi after a final leg of 48 hours and 37 minutes from Cairo.

“This is a truly historic achievement, with tremendous symbolic significance,” said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer.

“It demonstrates clearly that with pioneering spirit and clean technologies, we can run the world without consuming the Earth. On behalf of everyone at ABB, congratulations to Bertrand Piccard, André Borschberg and the rest of the Solar Impulse team. We are extremely proud to have been able to contribute to this remarkable project.”

“It’s a historic first for renewable energy and clean technologies, not only for aviation,” said Solar Impulse pilot, initiator and chairman Bertrand Piccard on arrival.

“By combining their respective strengths, Solar Impulse and ABB were able to show how breakthrough innovation can be transformed into credible solutions and how energy can be more efficiently produced, stored and used to create a cleaner world.”

During its flight around the world, Solar Impulse made stopovers on four continents (Asia, North America, Europe and Africa) and flew across two oceans (the Pacific and the Atlantic), as well as the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Peninsula.

On the way, it set several new aviation records, including that of the longest solo duration for an aeroplane (117 hours, 52 minutes), achieved by Borschberg on the leg from Japan to Hawaii, and the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a solar aeroplane, achieved by Piccard.

Image copyright: Solar Impulse/rezo.ch