On its journey around the world, Solar Impulse 2 (Si2)-the solar airplane of Swiss pioneers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg-landed in Egypt after a flight of two days and two nights (48 hours and 50 minutes) without fuel.
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Shortly after taking off from Seville, Spain en route to Cairo, Egypt, Solar Impulse 2 flew directly over the Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant, a highly advanced facility run by Torresol Energy, a joint venture between Masdar and Sener, according to WAM.
The plane’s round-the-world trip, which has been shared by Swiss aviators Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard.
The solar-powered plane completed the first solo transatlantic flight to land in Spain last month, and will continue from Cairo to Abu Dhabi, where it began its round-the-world journey in March 2015. The Solar Impulse 2 has a 72 meter wingspan, and is fitted with over 17,000 solar cells.
The experimental aircraft took off from Seville at 6:20 AM (0420 GMT).
“We have to work through corridors – we have to go around areas where the [air] traffic is intense”, he told FoxNews.com.
Solar Impulse is expected in Cairo on Wednesday.
Picard said the plane could fly continuously. “These are incredible moments and that is one that I will remember all my life”.
Piccard and Borschberg came up with the idea and raised 0 million to support the effort – partly to take on an epic adventure, like Piccard’s round-the-world balloon flight in 1999, but mostly to draw attention to clean technologies.
The aircraft will remain in Cairo until the weather is right in order to continue on the last leg to Abu Dhabi.
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The company behind Solar Impulse 2 hope that this journey will bring attention to the fact that steps toward clean energy can be made.
