Solar Impulse, a solar powered aircraft, has successfully completed the first ever round-the-world flight. The plane recently landed at Abu Dhabi, its starting point. "It's a historic first for renewable energy and clean technologies, not only for aviation", said Solar Impulse pilot, initiator and chairman Bertrand Piccard, on arrival."

Solar Impulse co-founder, CEO and pilot André Borschberg confirmed the value of this partnership: "The mission would not have been possible without the expertise and support of ABB and other organizations that contributed to the project. As part of its innovation and technology alliance with Solar Impulse, ABB provided experts to support the mission, including engineers who served as embedded members of the ground crew throughout the round-the-world flight."

During its flight around the world, Solar Impulse made stopovers on four continents (Asia, North America, Europe and Africa), and flew across two oceans (the Pacific and the Atlantic), as well as the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Peninsula. On the way, it set several new aviation records, including that of the longest solo duration for an airplane (117 hours, 52 minutes) achieved by André Borschberg on the leg from Japan to Hawaii, and the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a solar airplane achieved by Bertrand Piccard.

END