Solar aviation –
Solarstratos derments Solar Impulse in the air
The electric aircraft managed by Raphaël Domjan reached 9,521 meters above sea level. This record, which must still be approved, marks a key step towards the objective of the 10,000 meters.
The Solarstratos solar plane stole 9,521 meters above sea level, approaching the 10,000 meter lens.
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP
Solarstratos claims on Wednesday the title of “electric and solar inhabited solar in history”, after a flight Tuesday allowing it to reach an altitude of 9,521 meters, which is still validated by the International Aeronautical Federation (FAI).
This flight, lasting 5:09 am, “exceeds the previous record” held by the Solar Impulse plane designed by Bertrand Piccard (9235 m), said a press release from Solarstratos on Wednesday, which specifies that it still has to be validated by ISP.
“It is the altitude pressure corrected at altitude of standard density which is proof of aeronautical altitude record,” explains the team formed around the Raphaël Domjan driver.
Altitude record
The pilot was able to navigate the hot air of Sion on Tuesday to allow his impressive little plane to climb so high and “cross a airliner”.
The carbon fiber plane is 24.8 meters wide for the 9.6 meter -long cabin. The huge wings are covered by 22 m² of solar panels.
After a flight campaign in 2024 without success, the fifty -year -old driver is therefore close to his goal: reach or exceed 10,000 meters. Raphaël Domjan “was very moved”, reports the press release: “I share this moment of happiness with my whole team which has prepared this feat for years.” To get to this important level, it took dozens of flight flights and, during this summer, “the hundred hours of flight” was crossed.
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