Solar-powered plane completes five-day journey across the Pacific

Publicat de Cosmin Meca, 4 iulie 2015, 07:38 / actualizat: 29 ianuarie 2021, 21:48

Back in May, it was set to make its most ambitious journey yet, a 5,061-mile trip from Japan to Hawaii. Unfortunately, though, Pilot Andre Borschberg’s initial attempt was unexpectedly cut short (as has happened before), this time due to inclement weather.

Now, several weeks later, he’s finally accomplished his mission. Borschberg landed in Kapolei, Hawaii on Friday, following a five-day, 118-hour flight from Nagoya – the longest-ever solo nonstop flight. The previous record was 76 hours.

Stuffed inside a single-seat aircraft, Borschberg survived on 17,000 solar cells, using stored energy to continue flying after dark. As relieved as he must be, his work isn’t done: In order to complete a round-the-world trip, the Solar Impulse must make it to back to Abu Dhabi. Next up: a flight to Phoenix, followed by a longer one to New York and then an even longer one across the Atlantic. Fortunately, Borschberg doesn’t have to do it alone; he’s been trading off flying duty with Swiss co-pilot Bertrand Piccard, who greeted Borschberg on the ground in Hawaii when he landed.

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