Matevž Lenarcic Recording Black Carbon Readings Over The Arctic Region

Experienced long distance pilot, biologist and photographer Matevž Lenarcic is off again on another adventure. Flying a Pipistrel Virus SW aircraft, he plans to record black carbon readings over the Arctic.

Matevž (pictured in cockpit) departed Monday, and his route of flight will take him from Slovenia to the North Pole, crossing from Europe to Canada and back, crossing the Atlantic via the Lindbergh route. He plans to capture the Arctic with aerial images. The entire Arctic region has a rich history of discovery and exploration. Legendary expeditions in the name of national interests have led to discovery of new trade routes which brought strategic and capital benefits to the countries concerned.

The Arctic is also very important generator of weather. In a news release, mission creator GreenLight WorldFlight said that changes in the ice can have a decisive impact on the speed and direction of ocean currents and thus the lives of the entire world.

Arctic expeditions are still frequent, and the North Polar Region has been crossed on foot, on skis, with icebreakers, submarines and aircraft. But Light and Ultralight planes are still extremely rare in this part of the world. Despite the development of high performance ultralights no one has overflown the North Pole from one continent to another.

Furthermore, the research and technical instrumentation has changed as well. Detection devices which weighed hundreds of pounds just a few years ago can now fit into fuel efficient, low cost and nature-friendly ultralight aircraft. This is also a mission of the GreenLight WorldFlight project which continues this week over the Arctic and North Pole from Europe to Canada and completes the long distance flights by flying over the North Atlantic from Newfoundland to Ireland flying parallel to the Lindberg's record flight from New York to Paris.

On his path Matevž will attempt to burn the smallest amount of fuel per distance flown. The project will show how light aircraft can be used to collect significant scientific climate data, as the aircraft will be carrying a device developed by the company Aerosol; which measures the concentration of atmospheric aerosol - black carbon (soot) in the air over the North Pole - which has not been done before. The results will contribute to understanding the global warming effects.

To fulfill all Matevž's requirements, Pipistrel built a specially modified double NASA-challenge winner the Virus SW. The aircraft must safely operate at low polar temperatures and high altitudes. The fuel consumption must remain at very low levels, as some stages of the flight are several thousand miles long - and the amount of fuel on board of such a small aircraft is very limited.

The aircraft is equipped with the widest range of avionics, navigation equipment, IFR systems, auto-pilots, radios, requiring the installation of a second generator for redundancy to the avionics. The aircraft is capable to speeds over 160 kts at cruising altitude.

(Images provided by Pipistrel)

FMI: www.worldgreenflight.com, www.pipistrel.si