Take Off Sevilla
Solar-powered plane takes off from Spain to Egypt
Borschberg heads for Cairo as solar-powered airplane resumes its around the world journey back to Abu Dhabi on the 16th leg of its record-breaking flight to demonstrate the potential of clean technologies.
Swiss aviator Andre Borschberg lifted off on Monday at 06:20 am from Seville, Spain in the Solar Impulse 2 airplane as it resumed its round-the-world flight. The airplane powered by the sun will fly some 48 hours across the Mediterranean Sea to Cairo for its penultimate stop before flying to Abu Dhabi. Borschberg will fly the airplane designed to showcase the potential of clean technologies and renewable energies from Europe to Africa on the 16th leg of the flight around the world after he recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of his record-breaking five-day flight from Nagoya, Japan across the Pacific Ocean to Kalaeloa, Hawaii, USA. Borschberg and Swiss compatriot Bertrand Piccard take turns flying solo legs of the around-the-world flight in their solar powered airplane made from a lightweight carbon fibre frame that produces no carbon emissions. The airplane weighs about the same as a family car but has a wingspan as large as on a Boeing 747. Picard completed the last flight from New York to Seville on June 23, following into the footsteps of American aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh by flying 71 hours nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. The Solar Impulse 2 has already broken 8 world records and flow a total accumulated distance of 36,602 kilometers over 460 hours and 39 minutes. It has flown on 9,929 kWh on electricity powered by the sun. The four 17.5 horsepower electric motors -- with a maximum total output of 70 hp -- are powering the 21.85-meter long and 6.40-meter high aircraft that draws the energy needed entirely from the 17,000 solar cells embedded in its massive wings spanning a total of 72 meters. The Solar Impulse 2 is the first solar-powered airplane that can fly virtually non-stop and through the night -- thanks to the energy stored during the daylight hours in its state-of-the-art lithium batteries. The Solar Impulse 2 airplane will fly at speeds of up to 140 km/h (77 knots) at high altitude as high as 9,000 meters as it remains aloft on its legs for as many as five consecutive days. The exact position of the plane can be followed here: http://www.solarimpulse.com/sitv
Free pictures: Jean Revillard, Amélie Descloux for Solar Impulse
