Sky 7 HD captured the incredible sight of the world’s first solar-powered airplane flying over the Golden Gate Bridge after completing a two-way flight across the Pacific from Hawaii. They have taken their turns to fly this airplane solo, making their stops at Oman, Myanmar, China, Japan, and Hawaii.
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The Solar Impulse 2 has had a long trip so far, even longer than you’d expect given that it travels just 43 miles per hour. “I can not wave but I’m sure they will see #Si2” he tweeted.
And now, the aircraft has flown non-stop for 62 hours from Honolulu in Hawaii to the home of Silicon Valley in Mountain View, California after what would have been the most treacherous aspect of the journey due to the obvious lack of emergency landing sites over the Pacific Ocean.
One of the pilots, Bertrand Piccard, told CNN after landing, that this flight is a new era, not science fiction, it is reality, clean technologies can do the impossible. Solar cells recharge lithium batteries (weighing 633 Kg) during the day that fuels the aircraft to fly at night. Currently, the solar plane has kicked started the second half of its journey around the world after hiccups in the batteries.
(Newswire.net – April 25, 2016) -Two pilots, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg landed the Solar Impulse 2 in California.
Solar Impulse 2 takes-off from Hawaii.
Piccard said, “You have interviews, navigation control, communications with the control center in Monaco”.
The Swiss pilot, who is on a mission to promote alternative energy, said he believed that electric-powered planes carrying up to fifty passengers short distances would be possible within ten years. But that will depend on weather.
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The plane took off from Hawaii on Thursday, continuing its journey that has been delayed on the Oahu Island for almost 10 months. When first attempting to fly from Nanjing, in China, to Hawaii, the crew had to divert to Japan because of unfavourable weather and a damaged wing. “It’s maybe this is one of the most fantastic experiences of life I’ve had”.The project, which is estimated to cost more than $100 million, began in 2002 to highlight the importance of renewable energy and the spirit of innovation. Shifting as soon as we can to renewable energies and clean technologies is all the more necessary to combat the adverse impact of climate change.
