Solar plane starts trek across U.S.

07:11, 3 May 2016

NEW YORK. KAZINFORM - A solar-powered airplane took off from California to Arizona early Monday as it continues its around-the-world adventure with a series of flights to cross the United States, Kyodo reports.

Solar Impulse 2, with Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg at the helm, left Moffett airfield in Mountain View and is due to arrive in Phoenix following a 16-hour flight. Additional U.S. stops including in New York are planned before it departs for Europe.
The globe-trotting journey is being undertaken using only energy from the sun. The plane, operated by two alternating pilots, started its trip from the United Arab Emirates' capital Abu Dhabi in March last year.
It has since stopped over in countries including India, Myanmar and China before landing in Hawaii last July 3 following a record-breaking nonstop solo flight of nearly 118 hours from Nagoya, Japan.
Solar Impulse 2 has a 72-meter wingspan and about 17,000 solar panels built into the wings to supply electricity. It arrived in California on April 23 after being grounded in Hawaii for more than nine months due to battery damage from overheating.
Source: Kyodo

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