Solar plane transcontinental flight

Solar Impulse, Switzerland's first solar-powered aircraft, landed safely in Madrid on May 25, completing its first intercontinental flight.

>>> The longest journey of the solar plane

This flight is a rehearsal for the world tour that the aircraft is scheduled to perform in 2014.

According to Sky News , pilot Andre Borschberg took off Solar Impulse from the Payerne military airport in western Switzerland at 8: 24 am local time (13h24). The plane landed safely in Madrid early in the morning of May 25 as scheduled.

Solar Impulse takes off from Payerne military airport, western Switzerland on May 24 - (Image: EPA)

Solar powered aircraft open up a new era for aviation, reducing dependence on gasoline and helping people curb the waste of oil, encouraging people to use green technology to protect them. environment.

As planned, it will stop at Madrid for three days for technical inspection, then fly to Raba, the Moroccan capital.

Including this intercontinental flight, Solar Impulse will cross the road to 2,500km.

If successful, this would be the longest flight of this non-gas powered aircraft.

Solar Impulse has wingspan with a large aircraft but weighs a family car (about 1,600kg). It is fitted with 12,000 solar panels to provide four electric motors.

In 2010, the plane made history as the first manned plane to fly with solar energy. It flew in the Swiss sky continuously for 26 hours, 10 minutes and 19 seconds, and set a record of altitude when flying at an altitude of 9,235 meters.