Bertrand Piccard First to Fly Around the World in Solar Plane

Bertrand Piccard is a French explorer and environmentalist who will become the first person to fly around the world in a solar powered aircraft called the Solar Impulse. There are more than twelve thousand solar powered cells that supply energy to the planes four electric motors. During the day the solar powered cells will recharge the batteries allowing the plane to fly at night at a lower altitude. Piccard has built a career around proving to people that the impossible is possible. Piccard believes that his explorations, ballooning and aircraft, are a metaphor for life and that the only way to success is not to listen to others when you believe in your dream.