It was mid May of 2013 when I first meet Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg in a very big white tent on the tarmac of the executive aviation area at DFW International Airport. The name of Bertrand Piccard was more familiar to me having followed his efforts to fly around the world or across the Atlantic in balloons. Another, who I had known, had tried the balloon thing and splashed down in the North Atlantic bobbing around for three days until a Russian Trawler had picked him up and saved him from hypothermia. Karl was every bit excentric in that way but had made a few million along the way but was more excited about the adventure than money and the journey was just as excited. Racing in the latest of designs in sailing boats from New Zeland to New York was just as much fun to Karl and his sailing experience may have kept him afloat until his rescue. I'm just saying, it might have.
Still, meeting Andre and Bertrand was an honor for me and their own excentric personalities had propelled them across the United States in Solar Impulse 1 after lift off at Moffett Field in the Bay Area. They were very much aviators and had crossed paths with excentric aviators like Karl and Sir Richard Branson in more recent years beyond Lindberg and the Spirit of St. Louis. Albeit Lindberg's son today is a friend of both Andre and Bertrand and support their efforts.It's like Jack Lemmon once said:" If you are a success at what you do, you send the elevator back down as many times as you can."
Now, Solar Impulse 2 has begun its trip RTW (round the world), departing from Abu Dhabi to Oman on the first leg piloted by Andre. The second leg was Bertrand from Oman to Ahmedabad, India. SI2 is scheduled to land again in Phoenix as it makes it way around the earth. I am hoping that the trip will bring them to DFW again, although I cannot be sure at this point if that will be the case. Frankly, I really don't want to know at this early stage of their trip.
My best wishes to the two co-founders of this project, Bertrand and Andre, their wives and families, their chase teams, support teams in Morocco where their mission control functions. They proved that they can fly from the west coast of the US to the east coast and not use a drop of fuel. The bigger proof is the future of solar energy which I support for the current generation and the generations to follow. Aviation has led the way for so long, it isn't surprising to see aviation leading again with bringing solar energy into the forefront once again. Congratulations on your RTW endeavor Bertrand and Andre. My prayers are with you all.
Still, meeting Andre and Bertrand was an honor for me and their own excentric personalities had propelled them across the United States in Solar Impulse 1 after lift off at Moffett Field in the Bay Area. They were very much aviators and had crossed paths with excentric aviators like Karl and Sir Richard Branson in more recent years beyond Lindberg and the Spirit of St. Louis. Albeit Lindberg's son today is a friend of both Andre and Bertrand and support their efforts.It's like Jack Lemmon once said:" If you are a success at what you do, you send the elevator back down as many times as you can."
Now, Solar Impulse 2 has begun its trip RTW (round the world), departing from Abu Dhabi to Oman on the first leg piloted by Andre. The second leg was Bertrand from Oman to Ahmedabad, India. SI2 is scheduled to land again in Phoenix as it makes it way around the earth. I am hoping that the trip will bring them to DFW again, although I cannot be sure at this point if that will be the case. Frankly, I really don't want to know at this early stage of their trip.
My best wishes to the two co-founders of this project, Bertrand and Andre, their wives and families, their chase teams, support teams in Morocco where their mission control functions. They proved that they can fly from the west coast of the US to the east coast and not use a drop of fuel. The bigger proof is the future of solar energy which I support for the current generation and the generations to follow. Aviation has led the way for so long, it isn't surprising to see aviation leading again with bringing solar energy into the forefront once again. Congratulations on your RTW endeavor Bertrand and Andre. My prayers are with you all.
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| Co-Founder and Pilot Andre Borschberg at DFW International 24 May 2013 during Solar Impulse 1 "Flight Across America" |
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| Co-Founder and Pilot Bertrand Piccard at DFW International 24 May 2013 during Solar Impulse 1 "Flight Across America" |
