Solar-powered plane begins epic journey around the world
Quote:
A record-breaking attempt to fly around the world in a solar-powered plane has got underway from Abu Dhabi
The aircraft - called Solar Impulse-2 - took off from the Emirate, heading east to Muscat in Oman.
Over the next 5 months, it will skip from continent to continent, crossing both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
The plan is stop off at various locations around the globe, to rest and to carry out maintenance.
This new model has a wingspan of 72m, which is wider than a 747 jumbo jet. And yet, it weighs only 2.3 tonnes.
Its light weight will be critical to its success. So, too, will the performance of the 17,000 solar cells that line the top of the wings, and the energy-dense lithium-ion batteries it will use to sustain night-time flying.
Operating through darkness will be particularly important when the men have to cross the Pacific and the Atlantic.
Piccard and Borschberg - whoever at the controls - will have to stay alert for nearly all of the time they are airborne.
They will be permitted catnaps of up to 20 mins - in the same way a single-handed, round-the-world yachtsman would.
