THE HB–SIA’S MISSION



This is a “basic” prototype airplane. The instrument panel will be reduced to the essentials, and with a non-pressurized cockpit it will be unable to fly above 8,500m. It will be a first approach at optimizing the balance between energy consumption, weight, performance and controllability. The goal is not to try to fly around the world and indeed the HB-SIA is not built to do so. The objectives at this stage are

  • To validate the computer simulation results, the technological choices and the construction techniques.
  • To test an unexplored area of flight: never before has an airplane succeeded in flying with these size, weight and speed characteristics.
  • To store sufficient solar energy during the daytime to demonstrate the feasibility of a day-night-day cycle (36-hour flight).