Takes flight Solar Impulse 2. The aircraft is powered by solar energy … – Poland The Times

According to the BBC, solar-powered plane flew on Saturday evening time with the Polish city of Nanjing in eastern China. After five or six days of flight over the Pacific Ocean and the defeat of 8000 km, the engine gets to Hawaii. During the flight over the ocean – the most difficult stage podróżu – the machine will fly the 62-year-old Andre Borschberg.

The legendary, the first such flight is accompanied by the originator and co-pilot Bertrand Piccard.

Borschberg while traveling over the Pacific Ocean will try to remain conscious, allowing himself only for short naps. As the BBC notes, flight will be constantly monitored by experts at the headquarters in Monaco, which will include the Swiss informed about weather conditions.

Lot 2 aircraft Solar Impulse launched on 9 March in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. During the trip, however, you were required longer, lasting over a month break due to adverse weather conditions. Pilots dolecieli to China on April 21, where it flew until Saturday. According to the BBC, if during the initial phase of flight over the Pacific Ocean pilots encounter difficulties, will be able to go back to China or Japan, then there is no such possibility, however. The plane can not get close to the water also because of the risk of electric shock. Solar Impulse 2, which will travel a total distance of 35,000 km in length, has already flown over Oman, India and Burma.

Innovative Solar Impulse 2 is a single-seat, four-engine plane that wingspan, is as the greatest model of Boeing – according to The Times. Weighing 2.3 tons machine is powered by renewable energy solar radiation during the day which focus solar panels. On the night of the machine – thanks to remaining at a certain height – draws from the force of gravity and moves smoothly until dawn. As reported by The Times, if the pilots will succeed and did not break trip, their cruise will go into the history of aviation, inter alia, the first flight powered only by solar energy, without a single drop of fuel consumption. As Piccard said, he believes that in the near future, aviation will use only renewable energy. The idea of ​​holding a solar-powered trip is the brainchild of Bertrand Piccard 14 years ago, and its implementation has already cost him $ 150 million – according to The Times.