Two Swiss Men Are Attempting The First Around-The-World Flight In A Solar-Powered Plane

The pilots took off from Abu Dhabi on March 9, and their journey is expected to take five months.

Two Swiss pilots attempting the first flight around the world in a solar-powered plane took off on Monday morning. Their aircraft is called Solar Impulse 2.

#Si2 with @andreborschberg on board took off at 07:12 UTC+4 in #AbuDhabi for #Flight1 to #Oman! @bertrandpiccard

Here's a video clip of the take-off:

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg took off from Abu Dhabi and started a 35,000-km journey. It's expected to last five months and include a dozen planned stops.

D-1 #RTW! 35,000Km to cover in 25 flight days, without a single drop of fuel! Discover the route of #Si2

Piccard was part of a team who made the first non-stop trip around the world in a balloon in 1999. He is descended from a family of awesome adventurers, the BBC reported.

The aircraft only weighs as much as a family car. But its wings are wider than that of a Boeing 747, in order to allow space for its solar panels.

MT @solarimpulse #Si2 is in the air! The first round the world solar flight has officially begun! #RTW

The Solar Impulse team completed a solar-powered flight across the U.S. in 2013. They are now attempting a global trip aimed at raising awareness about green technology.

The plane will fly both day and night and will not carry any fuel. It contains a bank of lithium batteries that will store energy to run its motors overnight, the Guardian reported.

You can track the flight's progress on the Solar Impulse website and Twitter feed. The next scheduled stop is Oman.

Skip to footer