Sun-Powered Plane Will Resume Its Round-The-World Flight In April
Solar Impulse 2, Part 2
After a long layover in Hawaii (there are worse places to spend a winter), the Solar Impulse 2 is getting ready to fly again.
The solar-powered plane attempted to fly around the world last year, but was stymied by battery trouble after a record-breaking trip across the Pacific last fall. The team decided to postpone the next leg of its journey, from Hawaii to Phoenix, until this year.
Now, with spring officially here and hours of sunlight steadily increasing in the Northern Hemisphere, the team is starting to prepare for takeoff. They team plans to begin heading to Phoenix sometime in April.
Solar Impulse 2 flew three times on March 14, with pilot Bertrand Piccard practicing maneuvers for the next leg of the flight, which could get underway as soon as next month.
In addition to maintenance and repairs, the team added 360 degree cameras for the upcoming flight, and plans to conduct longer flights soon.
The idea behind Solar Impulse 2’s global journey is to promote and encourage the development of clean technologies, like solar and wind power, that leave little to no environmental footprint.