Round-the-world solar plane completes US flight

Washington, May 13 (IANS) The world’s largest solar-powered aircraft, Solar Impulse 2 completed a new stage of its world tour after it landed in Oklahoma state of the US after departing from Arizona.

In an attempt to be the first aircraft of its kind to circumnavigate the world, the plane landed at 11.15 p.m. on Thursday, EFE news reported.

The Solar Impulse 2, piloted by one of its inventors, Bertrand Piccard, completed a 1,568-km flight in 17 hours and 30 minutes from the Phoenix Goodyear Airport to Tulsa International Airport, without any fuel, only driven by clean technology.

With this last stage, the solar-powered plane continues its North American route after the first stage between San Francisco and Phoenix which the other inventor of the aircraft Andre Borschberg completed on May 2.

The project seeks to raise awareness and convince the world governments to implement technological solutions to preserve the environment.

Solar Impulse 2 will continue its journey to New York, after which it is scheduled to travel to Europe, North Africa and Abu Dhabi, where the world tour began on March 9, 2015.