The solar powered aircraft Solar Impulse 2 has set a world record by completing the first solar, electric and zero emission crossing of the Atlantic ocean. The plane began it’s 22,000 mile round the world trip in March 2015, but has suffered several set backs along the way. Pilot Bertrand Piccard landed the plane at Seville Airport on 23 June, after a 3 day historic flight across the Atlantic from New York.

The plane is built from carbon fibre, a single seater, has a 72m wing span – larger than a Boeing 747 and ways only 2300 kg – equivalent to a family car. The 17,000 solar cells built into the fuselage supply the solar power to the four electric motors (17.5 hp each) that can take the plane to speeds of up to 60 mph.

The Solar Impulse team hope this venture will inspire the adoption of clean energy technology to create a new cleaner world for the future.

The plane will fly on to Abu Dhabi in the UAE, to complete the round the world flight adventure.

Hope you have a good month

Mike

Quotations:

The following are broadcasts between pilots and control towers – enjoy …

Tower: “Height and position?”
Pilot: “I am 1,80 m and I’m sitting.

LH741: “Tower, give me a rough time-check!”
Tower: “It’s Tuesday, Sir.”

Pilot: “…Tower, please call me a fuel truck.”
Tower: “Roger. You are a fuel truck.”

Tower: Mission 123, do you have problems?
Pilot: I think, I have lost my compass.
Tower: Judging the way you are flying, you lost the whole instrument panel!

Tower: “Delta Fox Alpha, hold position, Marshall will park you.”
Pilot: “Roger. Looking out for John Wayne.”

Ground Control: “123DG, bear to the left, disabled aircraft on the right.”
Pilot: “123DG, Roger, I have the disabled aircraft in sight, but I don’t see the bear yet.”