Solar-Impulse

Brian Jones and Bertrand Piccard achieved success in flying a hot-air ballon around the world and beating Richard Branson to it.

With a vision of raising the debate surrounding ‘sustainable development’, Piccard (there’s a joke there somewhere) has assembled a new team in an attempt
to be the first person to  to circumnavigate the globe using a solar plane.

The wingspan of the plane will be over 80metres long, under which a single seated cockpit will sit.  The wings will obviously carry the solar panels and also crucial lithium batteries to store essential energy.

Due to be attempted in 2009, the round-the-world attempt by this ambitious project will certainly be one to watch.

Solar-Impulse site.