The takeoff of Solar Impulse 2, the first plane to fly around the world using solar energy has begun from Abu Dhabi.
Andre Borschberg was at the controls of the vehicle when it took off at 07:12 local time (03:12 GMT).
Starting from Abu Dhabi, the plane will make 12 stops in a five month long flight taking a total time of 25 days, landing first in Muscat, Oman.
The flight aiming global promotion of clean energy was scheduled to take off on Saturday, but got delayed due to high winds.
The plane is powered by more than 17,000 solar cells built into wings of 72 meters in length.
The accomplishment is finally taking wings after 13 years of research and testing by Swiss pilots Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard.
Watch the video of the epic journey
http://youtu.be/eq7wdyp_Xvw
Borschberg and Piccard will take alternate turns because the plane can hold only one person at a time. A team of 65 support staff is travelling with the two pilots.
“This project is a human project, it is a human challenge,” said Borschberg, co-founder and chief executive of Solar Impulse who will fly the plane on the first schedule.
In addition, the flight will cross the Arabian Sea to India before heading on to Myanmar, China, Hawaii and New York.
Depending on weather conditions, landings are possible in the mid-western United States and southern Europe or North Africa.
“Climate change is a fantastic opportunity to bring in the market new green technologies that save energy, save natural resources of our planet, make profit, create jobs, and sustain growth,” commented, Bertrand Piccard linking the epic flight with sustainable energy.
The lightweight carbon fiber aircraft weighs only 2.3 tons, enabling it to stay aloft for several days and nights.
The propeller craft has four 17.5 horsepower electric motors with rechargeable lithium batteries.
The flight will travel at 50-100 kilometers per hour, with the slower speeds at night to prevent the batteries from draining too quickly.
The pilots will be linked to a control center in Monaco where 65 weathermen, air traffic controllers and engineers will be stationed.
The solar impulse is scheduled to arrive back in Abu Dhabi in July.
Sabeena Wahid
editor@greentechlead.com