Text Serge Van Heertum - Pictures : Serge Van Heertum & Guy Liesse © sbap 2011
Since the first little flight in December 2009 with Andre Borschberg as pilot, the HB-SIA has conducted hundreds test flights. This program is planned to promote a new way in energy saving and renewable alternatives energy. This is the main goal of Bertrand Piccard and his team.
After a long series of test flights in Switzerland, the experimental aircraft started a European tour. First Step Brussels Brussels Airport on May 13th (a lucky Friday for the team). This international trip of Solar Impulse is sponsored by the European Commission and the plane will be the special guest of Paris Air Show, which for a century, is a hight point of the aviation history. During Paris Airshow, the Solar impulse is planned in the demonstration flying program.
A "window" in the weather allowed the flight between Payernne and Brussels. At 08:40 am the Solar Impulse took off from the Swiss airfield and after a flight above, Swiss, East of France, Germany, Luxemboug and Belgium, the plane landed at Brussels Airport at 09:40 pm after 13 flight hours. This historic flight could be followed in real time via the net and at some moment of the flight the registered ground speed was 37 km/hour...Amazing. The flight was followed by a special control center in Payernne and another one located in Brussels.
http://www.sbap.be/events/2011/solar2011/solar2011.htm
