Not many people have the opportunity to be part of historic events. I consider myself one of a few fortunate individuals who is getting the chance to experience history in the making.
I joined the Solar Impulse team a few weeks ago, prior to the take-off from Abu Dhabi.
From the outset, it was a bit unsettling to leave my comfort zone and join a new team, especially a team that hails from a different part of the world, with cultural nuances that are vastly different from mine.
However, the team was very welcoming and accommodating. Most of them are in their twenties, which made the transition very smooth.
The take-off from host city Abu Dhabi was on March 9, marking the first official flight leg of Solar Impulse 2.
Andre Borschberg, pilot and co-founder of Solar Impulse, was at the controls of Si2.
I was on the tarmac alongside former colleagues from Mubadala and Masdar and my new team-mates. I was elated to begin my own journey around the world – exploring new cultures, meeting new people and pushing my boundaries.
As you may know, the plane has a single-seater cockpit, designed to minimise its weight and energy consumption. Upon take-off of the fuel-free aircraft, all the other crew members boarded a chartered plane, dubbed the “chase” plane, to the next destination.
Initially I was super excited to get on a private plane, having thoughts of lavish surroundings. But I was brought back down to Earth when I saw that it was a small plane with tiny seats. The moment we boarded the chase plane, we had to alight because of some technical issues. The air conditioning wasn’t working too well either but, fortunately, it was just a short trip to Muscat. Despite the heat, we were in good spirits and excited to finally begin this adventure together.
Thankfully we reached Oman well in advance of Si2’s arrival, allowing ample time to prepare for the plane’s descent into Muscat alongside our new hosts, the Oman airport authorities. Omani hospitality is second to none, reminiscent of our own tradition of hospitality in the UAE.
The Omanis were delighted and proud to see a GCC national as part of the Solar Impulse team. The “Al Salam Alaikum card” gave me some points in Oman and Abu Dhabi when working with the team.
I had the pleasure to meet an Omani named Sultan Al Subhi, who showed keen interest in the plane. I learnt that he was an innovator and had been featured on a television programme for inventors on MBC4 called Stars of Science.
Oman was hectic for us. Leaving aside the warm hospitality, the amount of work we had was enormous and our time on the ground was very limited, as Si2 made a mere pit stop in Muscat prior to its trek across the Arabian Sea.
Although the marketing and communications team was fortunate to have the opportunity to catch a few hours’ rest, my ground crew colleagues were hard at work to ensure that Si2 was in top shape after its first flight leg and ready to take off for its trip to the subcontinent.
India was particularly interesting, with cows on the streets, small buildings in different colours, bicycles and tuk-tuks.
The dichotomy between Abu Dhabi and Ahmedabad is stark yet beautiful, and has opened my eyes to a completely new culture and lifestyle. From the airport we headed directly to the tent where we held the first press conference in India and dealt with the excited media.
The turnout was huge and the event was a great success for us because of the vast media coverage, which means that Solar Impulse is achieving its mission to show the world that renewable energy and clean technology are viable solutions.
Now, it’s time to get back to work.
I look forward to keeping you updated throughout my journey across the globe with Solar Impulse. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram via the handle @HasanRTW.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
