Sun-H2, the origin of the project

1985 : 800 kms by ultralight aircraft

With the support of Bernard Gosselet, the clever designer and builder of the Microbel ultralight aircraft, Christian Van Houtte – a media publisher and aviator enthusiast – landed with his ultralight aircraft on Aug. 28, 1985 in Salon de Provence, after departing from the South of Brussels. A world record for distance was reached after a continuous flight of 10 hours and 25 minutes. Our two collaborators were thus the first to establish a new form of aviation. They demonstrated the possibility of flying a long distance in a light aircraft with a significant payload.

Light aviation owes its recent developments to the utilization of new materials. Some of ultra-light aircrafts today reach speeds of 280 km/h, and land on short runways at less than 65 km/h. In the commercial aviation sector as well, engineers understand that the weight component often represents disadvantages: limited structural resistance of the airplane, limited aircraft store, reduced number of passengers, and increased fuel consumption.

The increasing utilization of composite materials has allowed the latest generation of Airbus airplanes to carry a greater number of passengers, thanks to a lower empty weight for equal structural resistance. The Voyager , SpaceShipOne and The Global Flyer are recent spectacular examples of the results of competitiveness in the area of strong light combination material compared to the heavier and more expensive solutions and energy suply as in traditional aerospace endeavors.

It is in this innovative spirit of aeronautical construction, bringing together structural durability and high-performance aerodynamic design, that the solar-powered airplane project was born.

1999: The first discussions on the solar-powered airplane begin

C. Van Houtte brings together a team of specialists with complimentary expertise:

• B. Gosselet, Engineer, Microbel, who has worked on multiple projects, as much in light aviation as in the electrical field.
• V. Piret and B. Bleeckx, scientific advisor, who ensured the development and production of the Swift “flying wing”, designed by the American S. Morris.
• P.J. Verlinden, of Belgian nationality, scientific advisor to Sun Power Corporation of California, currently head of the Solar Energy Department at Origin Energy in Australia.

The slow advancement of certain technologies of the period compeled the team to postpose the project.