On February 24th, 2012, at 08:06 André Borschberg completed the three days and three nights of flight simulation that began in Dübendorf (Switzerland) on Tuesday 21st February.

During those 72 hours the Solar Impulse team was able to test the human challenge posed by long flights and gain valuable insights for the round-the-world solar energy flight scheduled for 2014.

Installed inside a life-size mock-up of the cockpit of the second plane currently under construction, André Borschberg took up the challenge of piloting the Solar Impulse simulator non-stop for 72 hours. Everything was tested and evaluated by the Solar Impulse team, from tiredness to cockpit ergonomics, nutrition, toilets, exercises to prevent DVT, vigilance, and the aptitude to pilot an aircraft under conditions of sleep deprivation.


Pilot André Borschberg: We are getting closer to the round-the-world flight

Emerging from the simulator, André Borschberg, the co-founder, CEO and pilot of Solar Impulse said: “The simulation demonstrated that our concept of flying single-handed for several days in a row is viable. The techniques of relaxation and multi-phase sleep worked very well, exceeding my expectations by far. Thanks to a careful management of the rest periods I was able to maintain optimum vigilance throughout the flight."

"We learnt a great deal about the practical management of life on board. Going forward, it’s all very positive and taking us ever closer to the round-the-world flight,” he added with a smile.


Flights over the Mediterranean region already scheduled with the existing prototype

Bertrand Piccard, initiator, chairman and pilot of Solar Impulse, summed up the simulation of the past three days in two words: “STEADY STATE. For a human body, steady state represents the same notion as sustainability when we talk of sustainable development. It means that the physiological parameters have reached a state of equilibrium that allows them to go on working in the same way over a long period.”

For Solar Impulse this coming spring will have little in common with a simulation. Flights over the Mediterranean region have already been scheduled with the existing prototype. Another means of training for the round-the-world flight by carrying out flights that are longer in both distance and duration, with the two pilots for the first time relaying each other at each stage.

2012-02-25| Courtesy: Solar Impulse | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH

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