Solar-powered Swiss plane attempts flight around world

Monday, March 9, 2015

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A Swiss solar-powered plane has taken off from Abu Dhabi, marking the start of the first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fuel.

The flight will take around five months, and the developers say the aim is to create awareness about replacing "old polluting technologies with clean and efficient technologies".

Solar Impulse founder André Borschberg was at the controls of the single-seater when it took off from the Al Bateen Executive Airport on Monday morning.

Borschberg and co-founder Bertrand Piccard will take turns to fly the plane around the world and switch seats during stopovers.

The plane is expected to reach its first destination - Muscat, Oman - after about 10 hours of flight.

Some legs of the trip, such as over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, will take five or six days.

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