solar flight is dream come true
Tuesday 22 July 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Adventurer Bertrand Piccard:

Solar flight is dream come true

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleSolar flight is dream come true

Bertrand Piccard celebrates at Sevilla airport on June 23, 2016
Madrid - Arab Today

Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, 58, has just realised his dream of crossing the Atlantic ocean solo aboard the Solar Impulse 2 plane, with the Sun as his only source of power. 

He speaks to AFP about this "magical moment", his hero Charles Lindbergh and the creation of an international clean energy lobby group.

Q: Tell us about this 71-hour journey

R: It wasn't an easy flight. You had to navigate your way between clouds, go above clouds, withstand turbulence, it was quite a tactical flight. There were moments where you had to really pilot (the plane), and moments when I could let go and realise it was actually happening.

Whenever possible, I would look out, everything calm and tranquil, and I just tried to soak in this magical experience -- when you fly without any noise or fuel, it's magic.

During the flight, I slept very, very little. But it's so amazing: you have the whole ocean around you, the whole sky, in the middle of nature, you fly with the force of nature, you fly with the sun. It's extraordinary harmony. I wanted to make the most of every moment.

Q: Do you feel like you're writing history?

R: "It's a flight I've been awaiting for 17 years. Seventeen years ago, I had this vision of a solar plane that would fly day and night, that would go round the world, that would cross oceans. When that happens, it's a magical moment.

I thought of Lindbergh (first man to fly solo across the Atlantic) because I met him when I was 11, we were both at the Apollo 12 take-off, and for me Lindbergh is one of these heroes who did what no one thought was possible.

I want to use this flight to pave the way for clean technology, for renewable energy. Because these clean technologies exist now, they're possible, you can cut by half the world's energy consumption thanks to clean technologies.

People in government, in companies lack this pioneering spirit that would allow these technologies to be used daily.

Q: So what next?

R: We should have two more stops (on Solar Impulse 2's round-the-world trip), one that Andre Borschberg (who rotates with Piccard to fly the plane) will do to Egypt, and the last one, that I will do if all goes well at the beginning of July to Abu Dhabi.

That will be the moment to use everything we did, all we have accomplished to this date to really push for clean technologies. 

Where commercial aviation is concerned, being powered by the sun is still far away. For the moment, only one person can be on board. But all these technologies can be applied to 97 percent of energy consumed on the ground.

It's not our lifestyle that pollutes so much as the old technologies that we're still using.

Two years ago, I created Future is Clean, which groups together 420 associations. We have influential sponsors: Prince Albert I of Monaco, Richard Branson, Al Gore. But now we want to go further.

I announced with Andre the creation of an International Committee of Clean Technologies, because what is lacking right now is a neutral international organisation that knows what it's talking about and that can advise governments and companies.

Everything (now) is fragmented, with small associations that have a lot of goodwill but no means, and what I would like to do is gather them together to forge a common route and be a credible intermediary for all those who need to know how to use these technologies. 

Source: AFP

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

GMT 09:28 2017 Sunday ,17 December

Yasmine Underlines importance of Fatimid Cairo

GMT 09:17 2017 Friday ,15 December

Mennat-Allah underlines importance of landscapes

GMT 08:24 2017 Saturday ,09 December

Eman underlines importance of environmental hotels

GMT 06:36 2017 Thursday ,23 November

tour guide sheds light on forest tourism

GMT 16:22 2017 Tuesday ,24 October

Mariam underlines tourism in India

GMT 13:33 2017 Saturday ,21 October

Eman underlines importance of festivals

GMT 20:12 2017 Tuesday ,10 October

Sahar underlines importance of mountainous tourism

GMT 18:43 2017 Monday ,02 October

Tour guide reveals new type of tourism
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

solar flight is dream come true solar flight is dream come true

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 06:04 2018 Thursday ,18 January

Netanyahu: US embassy could move

GMT 06:36 2017 Friday ,03 March

Made one mistake in Al Ahly-Dakhlia match

GMT 07:49 2017 Sunday ,17 December

UAE delegation visits Nest Festival 2017

GMT 22:34 2017 Thursday ,30 November

April21st-May21st

GMT 00:53 2017 Friday ,08 December

Schulz says EU allies urged him

GMT 21:45 2013 Sunday ,01 September

Toshiba opens store on Tejuri.com

GMT 14:55 2016 Tuesday ,06 September

After hacking, Jones makes proud return to Twitter

GMT 13:02 2017 Monday ,16 January

Samsung Note 7 probe finds batteries caused fires

GMT 06:36 2017 Monday ,30 January

New wave of robots set to deliver the goods

GMT 14:45 2016 Saturday ,22 October

China names Marcello Lippi as national team coach

GMT 09:10 2012 Saturday ,31 March

The Sony Radio Awards 2012 nominations

GMT 00:04 2012 Wednesday ,03 October

Expanding the Prophet's Mosque

GMT 13:45 2012 Sunday ,01 April

4 Ways to sleep better
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle