Virtually Traveled From San Francisco To Phoenix On A USB Stick

Solar Impulse, the solar airplane of Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, successfully launched the “Clean Generation” initiative by completing the first leg of the 2013 Across America mission – the first crossing of the United States by a solar-powered airplane capable of flying day and night.

Pilot Bertrand Piccard took off from Moffett Airfield at NASA’s Ames Research Center (CA) at 06:12 AM PDT, and, after a 18 hours and 18 minutes flight from southern California, over the Mojave National Preserve and into Arizona, he landed the HB-SIA prototype at 00:30 AM MST at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport. This is the first of five legs that will lead the project’s co-founders, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, to alternately fly the solar airplane coast-to-coast from California to New York.

By crossing the United States André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard are launching the “Clean Generation” initiative – a global awareness-raising movement advocating for greater investment in innovative technologies for sustainable energy production and use. According to the project's organizers, 14,212 supporters worldwide have joined the movement, and their names will be virtually brought by the pilots across America by means of a USB key. With every stopover more will be added. All those interested in being part of this movement can sign up here.

“We’ve been dreaming about crossing the United States for years - the land of scientific research, innovation and aviation pioneers – and it’s hard to believe it’s really happening.” said André Borschberg (Co-Founder, CEO and pilot of Solar Impulse) and Bertrand Piccard (Initiator, Chairman and pilot of Solar Impulse) as they walked down the runway. “We are thrilled to have safely and successfully completed this first leg and we weren’t alone: thousands of names of our supporters virtually accompanied us. With them, we launched the “Clean Generation” initiative promoting clean technologies.”

A number of events will be organized during the Phoenix stopover including visits open to the public on Tuesday May 7th. Because the solar airplane will be in a secured airport zone, the spaces available will be limited in accordance with airport security rules.

(Image of Piccard following flight provided by Solar Impulse)

FMI: www.solarimpulse.com, http://solarimpulseatphoenixontuesday.eventbrite.com/