Solar Impulse makes first flight
Solar Impulse’s first prototype made its first flight on April 7 in Payerne, Switzerland, paving the way for the first night flight with a solar-powered, m

Solar Impulse’s first prototype made its first flight on April 7 in Payerne, Switzerland, paving the way for the first night flight with a solar-powered, manned aircraft this summer. Company CEO André Borschberg and founder Bertrand Piccard are then planning a round-the-world flight, with probably five stopovers, to demonstrate the potential of investing in renewable energies. After the flight, test pilot Markus Scherdel said HB-SIA felt “stable and controllable from the very beginning.”

During the one hour, 27 minute flight, the aircraft reached an altitude of 3,900 feet. Scherdel claimed that the landing–considered the most critical phase–was not difficult. “At that time, I had already learned a lot about the airplane and knew everything I needed about its behavior,” he said.