How to fly round the world without using any fuel
I like seeing the world, but I have a low boredom threshold and I enjoy my sleep – so I would be a terrible candidate to fly an experimental aircraft all around the globe.
Swiss pilots André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard will take turns piloting a single seater craft called Solar Impulse 2 for 21,747 miles (35,000 kms) over 12 legs, including five- to six-day stints across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The entire journey will take five months.
These two guys will endure roughly 250 hours each inside a narrow cockpit with no oxygen or temperature control. Temperatures outside will range between -40C to 40C.
Falling asleep for long periods will be impossible as the flight will need constant attention. So Piccard and Borschberg will survive on 20-minute naps every two to four hours.
But I heartily applaud the aim behind the journey which is to pioneer new efficient sources of solar power.
You can read about the planned exploit here.