Solar Impulse Founder, Bertrand Piccard only carrying forward family tradition

BENGALURU: Going around the world in a balloon or in a solar-powered aircraft, founder of Solar Impulse, Bertrand Piccard is only carrying forward his family tradition.

His grandfather Auguste Piccard was a physicist, aeronaut and a balloonist while father Jacques was a hydronaut exploring things their generations had rarely dared.

Belgian cartoonist Herge (Georges Prosper Remi) created the character Professor Calculus in the Tintin series inspired by Auguste.

In an interview with French writer Numa Sadoul, Herge had said that he spotted Auguste in Brussels when the latter was teaching there.

TOI has procured some rare photographs showing the three Piccards together and Bertrand who is now in Ahmedabad has clearly followed the footsteps of his grandfather.

Auguste had taken off with the balloon FRNS into the stratosphere on August 18 1932. It was his second attempt.

Like him Bertrand has also explored the earth in a balloon twice. "The first time I went on a round-the-world balloon trip, I flew past India at a great height barely able to see this beautiful country," he said.

"On my second trip in 1999 there was a problem with the balloon and it was losing altitude. I remember flying over India as low as 300 metres. I smelt the kitchens and saw children scream before I landed in Myanmar. I told myself then that I would come back to India," he said.

He said that this time around on his Solar Impulse, he was waving at people who could barely see him before landing in Ahmedabad. Bertrand and his Solar Impulse will also be going to Myanmar where he has fond memories.