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Solar plane set for world tour

Updated on: 08 April,2010 06:52 AM IST |
Agencies |

A solar-powered plane that has been built to fly around the world took to the skies yesterday on an historic 90-minute flight using not one ounce of fuel

A solar-powered plane that has been built to fly around the world took to the skies yesterday on an historic 90-minute flight using not one ounce of fuel

Four propellers lifted the massive Solar Impulse off the ground at a maximum speed of 28 mph on the runway at a Swiss military airport.

Piccard, who in 1999 co-piloted the first nonstop round-the-globe balloon flight with Sir Richard Branson, said, "To fly without fuel, we have to make it fly in line. There might be things that go wrong -- maybe a technical problem, engine failure or a part breakdown."

Night flight

The 70 million pound (Rs 311 crore) project has been conducting 'flea-hop tests' since December, taking the plane no higher than 2 ft in altitude and 1,000 ft in distance. A night flight is planned later this year. Using almost 12,000 solar cells, rechargeable lithium batteries and four electric motors, Piccard and co-pilot Andre Borschberg plan to take the plane around the world in 2012. The trip will be split up into five stages -- keeping the plane in the air for up to five days at a time.

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