Geneva - Just 107 years after the Wright Brothers became famous for successfully flying the world’s first airplane, Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg made history in July, 2010 by piloting the longest solar-powered flight at 26 hours, 10 minutes, and 19 seconds. “After the inaugural flight to Paris and Brussels in 2011, their solar airplane, Solar Impulse, will attempt, for the first time ever, to fly over 2,500 km (1,550 miles) without using a drop of fuel and hope to finally land in Morocco.
The two pilots will take turns to pilot the plane during the 48-hour journey, with a stopover near Madrid expected for the swap. The trip, expected for May or June, would be a rehearsal in the run-up to the plane’s round-the-world flight planned for 2014.
The trip will additionally coincide with the launch of the construction of the concentrated solar power plant in the region of Ouarzazate in southern Morocco.
"We didn’t have a moment’s hesitation in accepting the idea of working with Morocco," declared André Borschberg, co-founder and CEO of Solar Impulse. "This destination corresponds fully with the goals we had set ourselves, in terms of distance and flight duration." He added, "Flying as far as this, powered only by solar energy will be excellent training for the round-the-world trip."
The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN) will welcome the Solar Impulse team. Morocco itself plans by 2020 to develop five solar complexes to generate 2,000 megawatts and curb 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions over time.
"We are full of admiration for the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and the intelligent energy policy adopted by Morocco. We are delighted to support it. Theirs is a pioneering project, which clearly demonstrates that the clean technologies we are promoting with Solar Impulse also have a role to play in everyday life," said an enthusiastic Bertrand Piccard, initiator and President of Solar Impulse.
Mustapha Bakkoury, President of the Management Board of MASEN, added, "It is quite natural, given the convergence between our respective convictions and goals, that Solar Impulse and MASEN combine forces for a project that brings to life the ideals and values that inspire us."
The high-tech aircraft, which has the wingspan as an Airbus A340 airliner but weighs no more than a saloon car, made history in July 2010 as the first manned plane to fly around the clock on the sun’s energy.
It holds a record for the longest flight by a manned solar-powered aeroplane after staying aloft for 26 hours, 10 minutes and 19 seconds above Switzerland, also setting a record for altitude by flying at 9,235 metres (30,298 feet). It has since flown several times, notably between the Geneva and Zurich airports, as well as to Paris and Brussels.