Record-Breaking Solar Impulse Lands In Hawaii

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After nearly five days aloft “without a drop of fuel,” Solar Impulse 2 pilot Andre Borschberg touched down in the early-morning light at Kalaleoa Airport in Hawaii. He has just flown over the Pacific from Japan, completing leg 8 of the solar-powered airplane’s global voyage.In the meantime, Borschbergtook the title for the longest nonstop solo flight, breaking Steve Fossett’s 2005 record in the jet-powered GlobalFlyer. Borschberg, who spent the wee hours Friday flying in the dark over Hawaii, took the solo record when he exceeded 74 hours, 56 minutes and 5 seconds in the single-seat plane.The trip from Nagoya, Japan, took a little more than four days and 21 hours. Live coverage and details are on the team’s website.

Borschberg launched from Nagoya on Sunday.Solar Impulse, designed to demonstrate the capabilities of clean energy, is highly weather-sensitive and conditions had forced the team to abort the first over-ocean attempt from China and land in Japan.From Hawaii, the team will again send the aircraft over the Pacific, this time to the U.S. Pilot Bertrand Piccard, who has been sharing the flights with Borschberg, will take the airplane to Phoenix, Arizona, a journey that is expected to take about four days, according to a BBC report. Solar Impulse started the journey in Abu Dhabi in March.

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