Route of first solar RtW flight unveiled
Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, the Swiss co-founders and pilots of Solar Impulse, along with their partners, revealed the detailed global flight route of Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) on 20 January. The first solar-powered plane able to fly day and night will land in twelve locations across the world and travel 35,000 km in the first attempt to fly around the globe without using a drop of fuel. For pilots Piccard and Borschberg, the drive behind their mission is to demonstrate how clean technologies and a pioneering spirit can change the world.
Si2 will take-off from Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, in late February or early March and return by late July or early August 2015. The route includes stops in Muscat (Oman), Ahmedabad and Varanasi (India), Mandalay (Myanmar), Chongqing and Nanjing (China).
After crossing the Pacific Ocean via Hawaii, Si2 will fly across continental USA stopping in three locations – Phoenix AZ, and New York at JFK. A midwest location will be picked according to weather conditions.
After crossing the Atlantic, the final legs include a stop-over in Southern Europe or North Africa before arriving back in Abu Dhabi.