{"id":12026,"date":"2019-01-25T15:54:03","date_gmt":"2019-01-25T22:54:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=12026"},"modified":"2019-01-25T15:59:52","modified_gmt":"2019-01-25T22:59:52","slug":"sunseeker-duo-the-uniquely-big-picture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/sunseeker-duo-the-uniquely-big-picture\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunseeker Duo \u2013 The Uniquely Big Picture"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unique People<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Eric Raymond was the first person to fly across the United States on solar power in 1990 in Sunseeker 1.<\/a>\u00a0 He was the first to fly on the sun’s rays over the Matterhorn in 2009 in Sunseeker 2. He and his wife Irena built the Sunseeker Duo and routinely fly it around northern Italy and over the Alps into Switzerland.\u00a0 Eric has more hours piloting a solar-powered airplane than anyone, and Irena is probably the most experienced female solar pilot.\u00a0 Only Bertrand Piccard and Andre\u2019 Borschberg in the Solar Impulse would have anywhere need as much time at the controls.\u00a0 \u00a0Janice Brown<\/a>, \u201ca\u2026former elementary school teacher\u201d flew Paul MacCready\u2019s Gossamer Penguin and Solar Challenger, even achieving a record altitude of 15,300 feet in 1981.\u00a0 But Irena has by now easily exceeded Ms. Brown\u2019s total solar flight time.<\/p>\n

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Over-the-nose shot from large opening in Duo’s canopy. Eric undoubtedly uses image processing software to eliminate long selfie stick from final image<\/p><\/div>\n

Eric and Irena are professional photographers, and all of Eric\u2019s designs have sliding canopies or large openings to allow use of the many still cameras and GoPros they carry on-board.<\/p>\n

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Landscape and skyscape frame a gorgeous aircraft<\/p><\/div>\n

Recently, they\u2019ve allowed Eric Conrad Lentz Gauthier<\/a> to fly the Duo, perhaps because he\u2019s a demonstrably capable flier.\u00a0 His web page explains his extraordinary skills. \u201cEric is an American competition aerobatic pilot in Powered and Glider categories. He is the U.S. National Glider Aerobatic Champion and pilot on the United States Glider Aerobatic Team, which represents the U.S.A. in FAI sanctioned international competitions including the World Glider Aerobatic Championships held every year. Eric was also selected to represent the United States flying at the World Air Games Dubai 2015 and at the IOC World Games in Wroclaw, Poland 2017.<\/p>\n

A Unique Airplane<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Considering its large size (22-meter (72.17-feet) span, the Duo weighs only 290 kilograms (638 pounds)<\/a> and carries two in an expansive cabin. \u00a0They even filmed a Skype commercial in it, with a large camera setup taking the place of a passenger. At a maximum weight of 470 kilograms (1,034 pounds), it settles onto the runway at 28 mph \u2013 ultralight speed.\u00a0 Able to fly with the birds and leap the Matterhorn in a single bound, Duo is a super aircraft.<\/p>\n