Today, the Isle of Man Post Office celebrates the incredible achievement of the Solar Impulse team, who flew around the world only powered by the Sun. The Isle of Man Post Office were proud supporters of the project through the purchase of a solar cell, and continues to champion this world-first for clean technology, with the upcoming release of their Solar Impulse collectors miniature sheet.
Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg set out on the incredible journey with one aim - to show that clean technologies can achieve impossible goals. They wanted to prove that the zero-emissions technology could reduce energy consumption and save natural resources, while demonstrating the potential of renewable energy.
More than a year after first taking off, Solar Impulse 2 touched down in Abu Dhabi on 26th July 2016, marking the completion of a world first. It had flown at day and night across Europe, North America, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia, which immediately silenced doubters and became the longest-ever solo endurance flight after breaking Steve Fossett's record from 2006. In the footsteps of Charles Lindberg, Bertrand achieved the first ever crossing of the Atlantic Ocean with an electric plane producing its own electricity from the sun.
The miniature sheet uses stunning high definition photography to illustrate the Solar Impulse 2 aircraft and its expedition, as well as promoting the message 'future is clean', a cause that is very close to the heart of the Isle of Man Post Office. Recently the Isle of Man has been awarded a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) status as a world biosphere region. The Isle of Man is now recognised as an outstanding place for nature and people, a status that has only been awarded to fewer than 700 regions across 120 countries worldwide.
The recent miniature sheet is another contribution and tribute from the Post Office to the aerospace and aviation community. Earlier this year, Isle of Man Post Office released a full set of eight stamps with associated stamp merchandise celebrating the Royal Aeronautical Society's 150th anniversary and showcasing the evolvement of aerospace technology over the past 150 years. The collection includes the most recent developments from Tim Peake's mission to the International Space Station and the Solar Impulse 2 miniature sheet.
Alain Pirlot, Solar Impulse Executive Assistant to the Chairman, said: "We at Solar Impulse are simply grateful for the truly wonderful production of the Solar Impulse miniature sheet celebrating the achievement of the Solar Impulse Round the World. We do warmly thank Isle of Man Post Office for their support and the beautiful outcome, and for honouring with such grace Solar Impulse."
Maxine Cannon, General Manager of Isle of Man Stamps and Coins said: "Isle of Man Post Office is proud to be associated with the Solar Impulse 2 project having sponsored one of its solar panels and we are pleased to celebrate the great achievement of the team with the production of this miniature sheet.
The sheet which promotes the message 'future is clean' is one of a number of initiatives the post office is involved with."
The collectible miniature sheet is available to order at a price of £3 from today (14th October 2016) at www.iompost.com/solarimpulse
For further information, please contact: Sarah Read | sarah.read@iompost.com