Solar-powered aeroplane Solar Impulse 2 landed at Moffett Airfield, California on 23 April at 23.44 local time, completing the crossing of the Pacific Ocean in the ninth leg of its round the world flight.
Piloted by Bertrand Piccard, Si2 took off from Hawaii on 21 April at 06.15 local time. The flight by the first solar-powered aeroplane capable of flying day and night without using any fuel took three days and two nights, covering 2,810 miles and completes the Pacific Ocean crossing. The first part of the Pacific crossing was from Japan to Hawaii in July 2015, piloted by Andre Borschberg. The project was conceived by Piccard and Borschberg, who are aiming to promote innovation, and highlight the possibilities of clean technology and concrete actions on sustainability.
The flight took 62 hours 29 minutes, at an average speed of 40.4mph and at maximum altitude of 28,000 feet, and has earned several world records (pending FAI approval) including distance, speed, duration and altitude. The flight will continue onward to New York, Europe or North Africa and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, where the adventure started in March 2015
Image(s) provided by:
Archant
