Russian pilots Fyodor Konyukhov and Igor Potapkin achieved the world's first successful flight in a two-seat powered parachute (motorized paraglider) from the Franz Josef Land archipelago to the geographic North Pole.

Their journey began with transportation to the starting point by the nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy, owned by Atomflot, a Rosatom subsidiary.

Rosatom also provided advanced materials for a custom fairing—an auxiliary structure designed to reduce drag on the paraglider.

This fairing, which included integrated fuel tanks, was developed and manufactured under the scientific guidance and technological oversight of the Advanced Engineering School "Digital Engineering" at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

Constructed from carbon and glass fiber composites, the fairing enhanced the paraglider’s aerodynamic efficiency, extending the Russian crew’s flight range from 900 to 1200-1300 km.

The record-setting flight, conducted at altitudes ranging from 267 to 835 meters above the Arctic surface, spanned 440 kilometers and lasted 10 hours and 13 minutes, with an average speed of 47 kilometers per hour.

Upon landing, the travelers used a satellite phone to report their successful arrival at the North Pole, where they established a camp. They maintained regular communication via satellite, and their buoys were automatically transmitting their coordinates.

"Rosatom has consistently provided me with technological support. It’s no exaggeration to say that the expertise of Rosatom's composite specialists has been crucial to our project's success,” said Fyodor Konyukhov.

“Today, Russia’s composites industry has achieved a milestone as well, with the glass and carbon fiber used in the paraglider proving its durability under harsh Arctic conditions,” he added.

Following an analysis of the data from the onboard satellite trackers, a formal record-setting case will be submitted for the achievement of reaching the geographic North Pole on a motorized paraglider.

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