CIACA Experts and Solar Impulse

On 25 May 2012 Solar Impulse took off from Payerne, Switzerland, and landed in Madrid, Spain, after a 17 hour flight.

The FAI Amateur-Built and Experimental Aircraft Commission (CIACA)  Experts were present in Payerne Airport to make sure that  the solar energy management was in accordance with the FAI rules.

After several successful flights in 2010, 2011 and 2012, Solar Impulse has demonstrated that a solar-powered airplane can fly day and night using no fuel. The next challenge is to fly around the world and prove that progress is possible using clean forms of energy.

All the CIACA Members around the world are constructing and building individual aircraft with the aim to develop new technologies and help to use new powers for a cleaner aviation in the future.

The FAI/CIACA Experts had to get up just before 4am to arrive in time at Payerne Airport, Switzerland, where the crew of Solar Impulse had planned to meet the press at 5am, early enough for the World Record flight from Payerne to Madrid.

Short after lining up HB-SIA on the runway, Betrand Piccard and André Boschberg were honoured by the visit of Didier Burkhalter, Member of the Swiss Federal Council, who was very excited about this technical challenge.

CIACA Experts Jakob Burkard, Honorary President of Ballooning Switzerland, and Werner Maag, President of EAS Experimental Aviation of Switzerland.

Dr. Bertrand Piccard, Pioneer of Solar Impulse and Alfons Hubmann, CIACA President