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Solar Impulse solar-powered plane set to end US flight in New York Solar Impulse solar-powered plane set to end US flight in New York
(2 months later)
A solar-powered aircraft lifted off from a suburban Washington DC airport before dawn on Saturday, embarking on the final leg of a history-making cross-country flight.A solar-powered aircraft lifted off from a suburban Washington DC airport before dawn on Saturday, embarking on the final leg of a history-making cross-country flight.
The Solar Impulse flew out of Dulles International Airport a little before 5am, en route to New York City. The flight plan for the revolutionary plane takes it past the Statue of Liberty before landing at New York's JFK Airport early Sunday.The Solar Impulse flew out of Dulles International Airport a little before 5am, en route to New York City. The flight plan for the revolutionary plane takes it past the Statue of Liberty before landing at New York's JFK Airport early Sunday.
"This is a leg where everybody is quite moved," Bertrand Piccard, one of two pilots who took turns flying the Solar Impulse across the United States, said shortly after the aircraft was in the air. He stood on the tarmac, giving an enthusiastic thumbs up as the plane soared into the morning sky."This is a leg where everybody is quite moved," Bertrand Piccard, one of two pilots who took turns flying the Solar Impulse across the United States, said shortly after the aircraft was in the air. He stood on the tarmac, giving an enthusiastic thumbs up as the plane soared into the morning sky.
The Solar Impulse was expected to set down in New York around 2am. Weather for the flight, which will take the plane over Maryland and Delaware and then up the coast past Atlantic City, was expected to be good. Andre Borschberg was piloting the final leg.The Solar Impulse was expected to set down in New York around 2am. Weather for the flight, which will take the plane over Maryland and Delaware and then up the coast past Atlantic City, was expected to be good. Andre Borschberg was piloting the final leg.
Despite the relatively short distance, it would be a long flight. The slow-flying aircraft would be traveling between two of the world's busiest airports and was required to take off very early in the morning and land very late at night, when air traffic is at a minimum.Despite the relatively short distance, it would be a long flight. The slow-flying aircraft would be traveling between two of the world's busiest airports and was required to take off very early in the morning and land very late at night, when air traffic is at a minimum.
The aircraft, powered by 11,000 solar cells, soars to 30,000ft while poking along at a top speed of 45mph. The Solar Impulse left San Francisco in early May and has made stopovers in Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, St Louis, Cincinnati and Dulles. The cross-country flight is a tune-up for a planned 2015 flight around the globe, with an up-graded version of the plane.The aircraft, powered by 11,000 solar cells, soars to 30,000ft while poking along at a top speed of 45mph. The Solar Impulse left San Francisco in early May and has made stopovers in Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, St Louis, Cincinnati and Dulles. The cross-country flight is a tune-up for a planned 2015 flight around the globe, with an up-graded version of the plane.
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