Pilots’ emotional return to Abu Dhabi as Solar Impulse dream is realised

Bertrand Piccard described his emotions as he returned to Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, where Solar Impulse started in March last year.

Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard took this picture as Solar Impulse 2 flew over the Red Sea on Sunday. Courtesy Solar Impulse

ABU DHABI // Bertrand Piccard almost never landed in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday morning, not because of a technical failure or bad weather, but because he didn’t want the dream to be over.

The Swiss co-pilot and co-founder of Solar Impulse spoke of his emotion, saying he was “very moved” when he landed and had to shut down the motors – so much so that he was “seeing the world through a lot of water”.

“When I was circling above Al Bateen, an hour and a half passed. I crossed the line where Andre had taken off,” said Mr Piccard.

“I knew we had succeeded but I was not yet ready to come down, and I could enjoy this moment because, at that moment, I thought that everything is possible.”

But, in retrospect, both he and Andre Borschberg, also co-pilot and co-founder, said they were not immune to a fear of failure, though doubt also served as a driving factor.

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History is made

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■ Emirati Solar Impulse team member reflects on historic journey

■ Solar Impulse 2 touches down in Abu Dhabi completing zero-fuel circumnavigation - in pictures

■ Solar Impulse 2 lands in Abu Dhabi completing first zero-fuel flight around the world

■ Solar Impulse 2 completes zero-fuel journey around the world - graphic

■ Solar Impulse 2 lands in Abu Dhabi - video

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The team has seen its fair share of setbacks. Last year, the record-breaking flight across the Pacific Ocean caused the batteries to overheat, resulting in the plane being grounded for nine months in Hawaii.

Delays held the plane back several times during the journey and the team was at times told that what they aimed to do was not possible. During the building phase, the aircraft broke while engineers were testing stress on its wings.

“That added another year to the project, and I had to find funding for it,” said Mr Piccard.

But, he said, anyone who embarks on an adventure should expect to face “doubt and question marks”. Mr Borschberg agreed, saying that many doubted the project, but, especially during the planning and building phases, “you can understand the doubt, but not agree”.

There were a lot of cynical responses during the planning stages, but despite that, it was not the hardest part of the journey, said Mr Piccard.

“We had so much hope, we so much wanted to succeed, and planning was the moment where we had absolutely no idea if we would succeed,” said Mr Borschberg.

“When you are finding the partners, preparing the planes, when you are dreaming it is still easy, everything is possible.”

Having completed their around-the-world journey, the pilots only now admit to having fears that they would not succeed.

Mr Piccard said that the most frightening moment for him was on March 9 last year in Abu Dhabi, the day Solar Impulse set off on its attempt to circumnavigate the planet with no fuel.

“When I saw Andre taking us to the east, I thought maybe, maybe, I would come back from the other side, in the same airport. I was thinking we are completely crazy, the risk of being disappointed, the risk of failure is so high.

“However, that is adventure. You must be willing to try, to fail, so that you can succeed.

“It was not so obvious we would land today, I think that is why I am so moved.”