3 May 2013
The Solar Impulse, the Swiss solar powered airplane, departed from San Francisco on 3 May with Bertrand Piccard in the single seater cockpit, to complete the first leg of its coast-to-coast flights across the USA; the first stop will be Phoenix (AZ).
The flight is the first time that a solar aircraft capable of flying day and night without fuel will attempt to fly across America. The flight aims to show the potential of clean technologies in terms of energy efficiency and renewable energy use.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport will be Solar Impulse’s first stop. The estimated flight duration of the first leg is 19 hours.
Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg will alternately pilot the solar aircraft to complete the challenge of flying without a drop of fuel across the USA from the west to the east coast. The first leg of the flight leading to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (AZ) will be completed by Bertrand Piccard. André Borschberg will fly for the last leg culminating in New York at JF Kennedy Airport.
You can follow the mission, with each flight streamed live on <a href=’http://www.solarimpulse.com ‘ target=’_blank’>www.solarimpulse.com</a>
