Schoolchildren inspired by Solar Impulse pilots, plane

Hundreds of pupils from around the country came to see the first solar-powered plane to attempt to circle the globe.

ABU DHABI // Pilots and engineers of the first solar-powered aircraft to attempt a global circumnavigation gave a demonstration on Tuesday to inspire children to believe in the impossible.

Hundreds of pupils from around the country came to Al Bateen Executive Airport to see the plane on display in a specially designed hangar. It is due to fly in a few weeks.

Vanessa Fernandes, 12, from St Joseph’s School in Abu Dhabi, said she was a fan even before she saw the plane, Solar Impulse.

“It was a nice experience. We saw the solar plane and it was good to see how it was made, the pilots, their work and what they discovered,” she said. “It’s really cool. All the new technologies are really advanced and it’s quite amazing to see these inventions that will help us in the future.”

She said that innovations like this were a way to encourage her generation to consider renewable energy for the future.

“Now, fuels are important. But in future, using solar energy is a very cool idea, which we should implement in our own ways, like what they are doing,” she said.

She said hearing Andre Borschberg, the co-founder and one of the pilots, inspired her.

“It’s not only up to me,” Vanessa said. “I think everyone should be able to do something. Looking at these people I have gained confidence that even I can do something because they were just like me in the beginning but now they have achieved so much.”

Mr Borschberg was Vanessa’s age when he was first inspired.

“I was 12 when I saw a video in 360 degrees of pilots flying fantastic jets and I told myself that one day I would sit in one of those cockpits,” he said. “And a few years later I did. So you are at a period of your life where the future is open and if you have dreams you should follow them.”

Aside from being the first attempt of its kind, Mr Borschberg said the secondary purpose of the challenge was to spread the possibilities of renewable energies and to motivate children to achieve their dreams.

“On one side you can talk about education, on the other about inspiration,” he said. “One of the first things is to inspire people in the same way I was inspired.”

Vanessa’s teacher, Sumam B R, who is also the environmental coordinator at St Joseph’s, said opportunities like this inspired children to understand that a cleaner future is possible.

“The kids are the future. If you give them practice it becomes a habit, especially in renewable energy uses and possibilities.”