First fully solar-powered airplane prepares to fly around the world

Quartz : The Solar Impulse 2 is the first airplane completely fueled by sunlight. The plane is a follow-up to a prototype that flew across the US last year and set a record in 2010 when it flew continuously for 26 hours. Solar Impulse 2 has a 72-m wingspan, which is wider than that of a Boeing 747, and a small unpressurized cockpit that holds only one pilot. The plane’s maximum cruising altitude is 8.2 km, and its maximum speed is 140 km/h. The project is led by Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, who will split the piloting duties on a round-the-world flight scheduled to begin in March. The 5-month, 12-leg flight will begin and end in the United Arab Emirates, passing through India, China, the US, and then either southern Europe or northern Africa. Piccard and Borschberg will land and trade piloting duties every few days.