Solar Flight - A Tour of Europe in a Solar Airplane



In the summer of 1990 Eric Raymond crossed the United States in Sunseeker I with 21 flights and 121 hours in the air. This remains the longest journey ever completed by a solar-powered aircraft. Since that expedition many technological advances have been made in fields relevant to electric vehicles and solar power. Sunseeker II incorporates many of these advancements including more efficient solar panels, more powerful batteries and a more refined electronic system. The new airplane is ready to once again take to the skies, this time in Europe, to demonstrate to the world just how capable renewable energy sources and electric vehicles can be. Solar Flight’s tour with Sunseeker II will commence in Germany at AERO Frederickshafen (April 2-5). From there we will follow Eric Raymond as he flies south down to Sicily and then back to Switzerland.		The second leg will take us east over the Austrian Dolomites, through Hungary and finally into Slovenia. We will return from this leg in time for a presentation at the World Air Games in Torino, Italy (June 6-14). At this event we hope to fly alongside fellow solar aviators in Icare II from the University of Stuttgart. Following this exhibition, Eric Raymond will prepare for a historic flight from Switzerland non-stop to Spain. If successful this will be the longest flight ever completed by a solar airplane! Of course we will make time to stop in France on our way back to Switzerland! Check our Journal for tour updates and information about where we’ll be so you can come out, see the airplane and say hello!

- Peter Riedel, avition pioneer and writer

- Stefan Gehrmann, builder and pilot of Silence electric sailplanes, airenergy.de

- Philipp Sturm, Managing Director, Diamond Aircraft Switzerland

- Werner Scholz, pilot of solar powered airplane Icare II

- Kent Misegades, Experimental Aircraft Association