Solar Impulse 2 breaks world record for the longest solo flight in history

2 Jul 2015

The pilot of Solar Impulse 2 André Borschberg broken a world record for more than 80 hours in the air without refuelling or touching down.

A solar-powered aircraft flying around the world from Japan to Hawaii is on the home stretch having broken a world record for being in the air more than 80 hours without refuelling or touching down.

The plane, piloted by André Borschberg, has less than 40 hours to go before reaching its destination in Hawaii.

The record was previously held by Steve Fossett, who in 2006 set a 76-hour record aboard the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer.

The solar-powered plane took off from Nagoya in Japan on the eighth stage of its 13-stage around-the-world trip earlier this week.

After Hawaii, the solar-powered plane will be piloted by co-pilot Bertrand Piccard to fly to Phoenix, Arizona.

After crossing the Pacific Ocean via Hawaii, Si2 will fly across the US, stopping in three locations – Phoenix, New York City at JFK, and a location in the midwest that will be decided depending on weather conditions.

After crossing the Atlantic, the final legs include a stopover in southern Europe or north Africa before arriving back in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com