Powered by yoga, Solar Impulse pilots fly high
NEW DELHI: It’s a test of human endurance — steering a solarpowered plane from a non-pressurised cockpit on a five-month long, 35,000km journey across the world.
And though intrepid travellers Bertrand Piccard, 57, and Andre Borschberg, 63, have a league of scientists backing them as they take turns flying Solar Impulse-2 (SI-2) to and from each of its 12 stops, the pilots realised they needed more than just logistical support. That’s where yoga came in.
“Andre realised he would need professional support on a holistic level to face the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual challenges,” said yoga instructor Sanjeev Bhanot, who met Borschberg in 2004 and has been practising yoga with him for more than 10 years. Bhanot met Piccard through the project later.
The pilots take turns at steering while cooped up in SI-2’s 3.8-cubic-metre single-seater cockpit; all this while being subjected to outside temperatures ranging from -40 to +40°C, sleeping for only 20 minutes at a stretch, and having to relieve themselves on the modified pilot’s seat.
“Keeping their nerves and a clear state of mind is one of the most important things… There are many physical challenges involved. Going up to 8,500m and down to 3,500m repeatedly in an unpressurised cabin can lead to swelling. Oxygen masks can lead to build-up of nitrogen in the body which can affect some system functions. Limited movement can lead to build-up of lactic acid which causes tiredness; and sleeping for only 20 minutes at a time is hard, especially for the mind,” said Bhanot.
He has trained them in strength to avoid muscle atrophy, in flexibility to keep the lymph system active, and in breathing to focus the mind, regulate the body temperature, and induce sleep at will.
SI-2 is in Ahmedabad at present. Its departure for Varanasi has been delayed twice so far due to “fog concerns.”