#round-the-world

[talesfromthebucketlist]

How to Pack for a Long-Term or Round-the-World Trip: A Complete Guide

Packing for a long-term or round-the-world (RTW) trip can feel overwhelming. With countless destinations, climates, and activities to consider, it’s essential to strike a balance between packing light and being prepared. This guide will help you pack efficiently and stress-free for your epic adventure. 1. Choose the Right Luggage The foundation of any great packing list starts with the right…

[globalinsidersrecruiters]

(32) How to Travel the World and be Happy-Silvia

[saltysuittaco-blog]

French sailor sets round-the-world record

French sailor François Gabart set a brand new international record for the quickest solo round-the-world navigation – shaving an enormous period of time off the former record.

François Gabart completed his continuous adventure greater than six days sooner, in 42 days and 16 hours, having left in the beginning of November.

Read extra: French sailor slashes round-the-world-solo record

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[lucawhitty-blog]

French sailor sets round-the-world record

French sailor François Gabart set a brand new international record for the quickest solo round-the-world navigation – shaving an enormous period of time off the former record.

François Gabart completed his continuous adventure greater than six days sooner, in 42 days and 16 hours, having left in the beginning of November.

Read extra: French sailor slashes round-the-world-solo record

Read More

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[photodb]

Love to travel? Could you be the 2018 World Travel Champion?

If you’ve got the travel bug through and through, here’s an adventure that might be of interest.  You’ll need some deep pockets, but it’s bound to be an unforgettable round-the-world trip like none other.  According to their press release, you’ve got a few month to save up your pennies and to submit your application to join. From their press release: The Global Scavenger Hunt, the world’s only…

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[solarimpulse2]

Best Moments in the Sky

We accomplished 9 flights during the second part of the round-the-world adventure which took place between April and July 2016, covering over 22,000 km from Hawaii to Abu Dhabi. Here are some of the most emotional moments in the sky!

Flyover Egyptian Pyramids

July 13th, 2016

After André Borschberg crossed the Mediterranean Sea with Si2 and just before landing in Cairo International Airport, he flew over the Egyptian Pyramids at sunrise. The ancient pyramids poked through the morning city mist, beautifully juxtaposing the solar-powered airplane that flew above it.

Read more here.

Flyover of New York City

June 11th, 2016

From Lehigh Valley to New York City, André Borschberg flew Si2 over the Statue of Liberty and the Upper New York Bay. It was a magical flight, over the scintillating city lights, highlighting the importance of renewable energy in a city that never sleeps.

Landing in Seville, Spain

June 23rd, 2016

After spending two months crossing the United States, coming back to Europe, Solar Impulse’s home continent, was a wonderful moment. Bertrand arrived in Seville as the day was waking up and was welcomed in the air by a colorful flight formation from the Spanish Patrulla Águila, and on the ground by the team and many supporters and journalists.

This landing was also special as it marked the completion of the Atlantic crossing, the world’s second largest ocean after the Pacific, which we had previously crossed in two legs. The most famous transatlantic flight is undoubtedly Charles Lindbergh’s, from New York to Paris, to promote commercial air transport. For Bertrand, crossing this mythical ocean of explorers was also a symbol, but his goal was to pave the way to a widespread use of modern clean technologies.

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Landing in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

July 26th, 2016

We couldn’t leave the last landing of our crazy adventure out of the list. Under the watchful gaze of the lit-up mosque, Bertrand touched down where André had taken off a year and a half ago. He was greeted by the UAE national anthem and flag, traditional dances, partners and a crowd of enthusiasts and media.

We were relieved, nostalgic, ecstatic, (tired) all at the same time. Completing the first round-the-world solar flight in history doesn’t happen every day! It had taken us a lot of hard work, but we have finally proved that clean technology can achieve the impossible.

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Flyover of the Golden Gate Bridge

April 24th, 2016

After both Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg crossed the Pacific Ocean in two different flights, Bertrand found himself entering the gates of the New World - flying just above the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco in a solar powered airplane. What a beautiful welcome to the United States of America - getting ready to cross the rest of the continent.

Takeoff from Kalaeloa, Hawaii

April 21st, 2016

A takeoff that is symbolic of our perseverance in the face of adversity. Getting started again after a nine-month break was difficult but the entire Solar Impulse team was ready to take on this adventure once again.

After the Solar Impulse batteries had been replaced in Hawaii, it was the start of a new year of flights with a lot of fresh energy to attempt to finish the first Round-the-World solar flight. Taking off from Hawaii at early dawn marked the start of our flights in 2016 - to attempt an adventure that began many years ago.

Takeoff from New York, United States of America

June 20th, 2016

A breathtaking takeoff under the full moon to begin Bertrand Piccard’s longest journey in Solar Impulse 2 to attempt the first transatlantic crossing in a solar-powered airplane. Leaving New York from this large international airport with good weather conditions appearing earlier than expected.

Si2 left the city of light, guided over the Atlantic Ocean with the full moon. At this point, it was clear to André Borschberg who was at the Mission Control Center in Monaco that the Atlantic Crossing would go smoothly.

Landing in Lehigh Valley, United States

May 26th 2016

This landing in Lehigh Valley marked our arrival at the gates of New York City. Which meant only one flight left, and the shortest of the adventure, before completing the crossing of the United States. For once, Si2 arrived at its destination before sunset so the colors of the sky were magnificent.

We were extremely relieved to arrive safely, as the day before, the mobile hangar had started to deflate on the airplane in Dayton due to a power failure. We thus had to postpone the takeoff to make sure the plane wasn’t damaged.

In Lehigh Valley, a crowd of children welcomed the pilots with a flood of smiles and questions. Hopefully Solar Impulse will have inspired them to accomplish their dreams to be pioneers!

Read more here

[solarimpulse2]

Why is Si2 such a Special Airplane?

But when you dig deeper, you realize that Si2 is not only special on the surface, but also on the inside. Under its beautiful appearance lies a complex mind, made up of a wide array of clean technologies cleverly assembled by our engineering team led by André Borschberg.

Four energy-efficient electric engines improved with an additive by Solvay which decreases friction and thus allows an energy efficiency of 97% compared to 30% for normal thermal motors

Four energy-dense batteries upgraded with a special binder by Solvay which reduces their weight while increasing their energy density and the number of charge and discharge cycles they can withstand

17,248 ultralight efficient solar cells made by Sunpower that convert solar energy into electricity with an efficiency of 22.7%, compared to 16% for regular cells. They’re 135 microns thick, like a human hair, which makes them ultralight

A protective transparent resin developed by Solvay which covers the solar cells and protects them from harsh weather. It is UV resistant, waterproof and only 17 microns thin, so barely weighs anything.

Solar Impulse 2 by Solar Impulse on Sketchfab

Intense and lightweight LEDs which have an incredible “watt to weight” ratio and are used to illuminate the landing area brilliantly at night. They are protected by the same resilient plastic found in Omega’s watches

Ultra-lightweight high-density thermal insulation foam provided by Solvay and Covestro to insulate the cockpit and gondolas and thus protect the pilot and batteries from extreme temperatures. The foam’s pores are 40% smaller than usual, rendering it more rigid and strong while keeping it lightweight

Smart energy dispatcher systems developed by Omega which optimize the energy use on the plane and make use of bi-directional functionality to ensure that either battery can support the other on the same wing in the event that one engine fails

Composite materials, such as carbon fiber, engineered by Solvay, North TPT and Decision to lighten many parts of the plane. The carbon “bee-nest” structure used to build the spar for instance reduced the weight of a layer of carbon material from 80 grams per m² to 25 gram per m² (3 times lighter than paper!)

But Si2 is more than an airplane. It is a message to encourage people to use existing clean technologies on the ground to ensure a cleaner future. With them, we could already cut our energy consumption, and thus polluting emissions, by two. Not to mention that they will create jobs and profit for developed and developing countries. We want as many people to hear and spread the message: let’s improve the quality of life of present and future generations without sacrificing our comfort!

Over the years, Si2 has also become a friend with whom we’ve shared moments of happiness, sadness, anxiety, and so many adventures. And soon, a friend with whom we’ll have accomplished Bertrand Piccard’s dream of flying around the world with no fuel. Thank you dear companion for this hell of a ride!

And then what? Well, after having had to deal with all of our acronyms: Si2, MCC, PNR, RTW… here’s a new one you’ll soon have to get used to: ICCT.