Décision SA, producers of innovative composite structures, has announced that Solar Impulse 2 aircraft, world’s first solar powered flight, made of Décision’s carbon fibre composites, has completed its first round.

North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT) and Décision SA worked on the project together. The zero-fuel Solar Impulse 2 aircraft landed in Abu Dhabi, completing the final leg of its 40,000 kilometre trip.

Décision collaborated with Solar Impulse since the beginning of the project in May 2003, and has become one of the key partners. The company was responsible for the production of the main carbon fibre composite structures for both the HB-SIA prototype and the current Solar Impulse 2 aircraft, including the wing’s longitudinal beams, the fuselage, vertical, and horizontal stabilisers, the engine gondolas and the pilot’s cockpit.

Décision and NTPT collaborated to build Solar Impulse 2’s parts using NTPT’s Thin Ply Technology carbon fibre prepreg. This technology enabled the production of extremely lightweight, high performance composites structures that ensured the safety and reliability of the aircraft on its challenging journey around the world.

Solar Impulse founders, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, have fulfilled their vision to fly an ultra-light aircraft around the world powered only by renewable energy. This achievement opens up exciting, new prospects for the world of aeronautics, particularly in the development of solar-powered drones that could remain at high altitude for several months. (GK)