After years of flight testing two versions of its solar-powered concept airplane, the Solar Impulse team is now well on its way to making the journey around the globe a reality. Si2 — the second version of the Solar Impulse — has been disassembled and loaded into the nose of a Cargolux Boeing 747 and is now on its way to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where it will depart on its pioneering round-the-world flight sometime in March.
“We have chosen this location as the best and most suitable departure point for the round-the-world tour, due to its climate, infrastructure and commitment to clean technologies,” said one of Solar Impulse’s founders, André Borschberg. Abu Dhabi-based energy company Masdar is one of the major sponsors of the project.
