ABU DHABI // Emirati Hasan Al Redaini is Hawaii-bound to rejoin the Solar Impulse 2 team in its attempt to complete a solar-powered, round-the-world flight after an almost six-month hiatus.
The Masdar-sponsored Solar Impulse 2 took off from Abu Dhabi on March 9 last year with the aim of circumnavigating the Earth. In July, however, the aircraft was grounded in the holiday paradise in the holiday paradise for repairs to its battery system, which was damaged on the longest leg of the journey across the Pacific.
The crew is now preparing the plane for its return leg to the UAE this summer.
Mubadala employee Al Redaini, who is employed in group communications, was asked to work with the international team of scientists, engineers and pilots in charge of the aircraft’s global flight attempt.
“It’s exciting to rejoin the team, my colleagues and the project,” said the 26-year-old before leaving the UAE on Sunday for the Aloha State.
“I’m looking forward to getting back into the atmosphere, into the hectic and sometimes sleepless nights.”
Al Redaini spoke to colleagues in Hawaii and said the team now feels like the project is back on track and lessons from last year’s technical problems have been learned.
Over the next six months, Al Redaini is likely to travel with the plane to several stops to help spread the team’s message of promoting zero-emissions technology in North America, Europe and Northern Africa before returning to Abu Dhabi.
Before the plane’s scheduled take-off next month, a lot of testing needs to be conducted.
“The team tested everything, they have already done two maintenance flights by a test pilot,” said Alexandra Gindroz, Solar Impulse 2’s head of media relations. “Now it’s time for the pilots to train.”
Pilot Bertrand Piccard is set to carry out his first training flight at the end of the week. If all goes well, he will conduct a high-altitude test flight lasting more than 20 hours.
“To check the system and the oxygen, to familiarise himself with the aircraft, because we need to reach the high altitude during the day and after to find calm weather conditions on the ground, that’s the reason why it’s a 20-hour flight,” said Gindroz.
Piccard is scheduled to fly from Hawaii to the west coast of the United States over four days next month.
“Almost everyone is back and the team is familiarising themselves again with the pace of work. There’s some work to be done ahead of us, but many people are back in the feeling of flight,” Gindroz said.
nalwasmi@thenational.ae