Veteran Swiss aviator, Andre Borschberg has broken a world record for the longest non-stop solo flight, by endeavouring to circumnavigate the globe with an aircraft that is powered only by using the energy of sun. The aircraft, Solar Impulse took off from Japan on Monday, i.e., on 29 June on the seventh leg of its journey without refuelling and is anticipated to land in Hawaii by the weekend. It has smashed the Solo-Flight record by crossing the Pacific in a threshold of 76 hours. The aircraft has been piloted by two Swiss explorers Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard alternatively. Pilot Andre Borschberg has spent more than four days hovering from Japan in the Solar Impulse which is powered by the sun’s energy.

Record Breaking Attempt  by Andre Borschberg

Andre Borschberg who is the Pilot of Solar Impulse 2 aircraft has attempted this risky task for the first time and has set a World Record by circumnavigating the globe without refuelling the plane. This initial successful attempt is a making steady progress for crossing the milestone in 76 hours. Both the explorers Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard have set off the Solar Impulse 2 plane on its 22,000-mile (i.e., 35,000 Km) journey around the globe from Abu Dhabi on March 9. Borschberg circumnavigates the globe alone in an unheated and unpressurized cockpit sleeping in spurts only for 20 minutes while on autopilot.The solo record was formerly set in 2006 by American explorer Steve Fossett, who flew the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer for 76 hours non-stop.

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“The experience of flight is so intense that I can only focus on the present moment and discover how to deal with my own energy and mindset,” Borschberg said in a statement.

‘Solar Impulse 2’ Successful Journey towards World Record

The aircraft that was piloted by Andre Borschberg when it broke the world record has 17,000 solar cells across its wingspan and weighs as much as family sedan. Initially, they have anticipated that, travelling across the globe would take some 25 Flight days, but was broken up into 12 legs as it speeds between 30 to 60 miles per hour (50 and 100 Kmph). The Solar Impulse 2 firstly passed through Nanjing in China on May 31 for Hawaii, but was imposed to curtail its bid a day later due to “a wall of clouds” (Borschberg termed) over the Pacific. It then landed in the Central Japanese City of Nagoya.

The Solar Impulse 2 remained in flying mode continuously for three successive days and nights just by powering the plane with solar energy. “Solar Impulse 2” is the first aircraft to fly day and night solely using the sun’s energy without consuming additional fuel.

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The mission organizers said in the latest update, “After the longest and most tiring night of this flight, bringing the pilot and aircraft to the limits, Andre is now back under the oceanic sunlight.”

Bertrand Piccard’s Statement:

“Can you imagine that a solar powered airplane without fuel can now fly longer than a jet plane!” said Piccard. “This is a clear message that clean technologies can achieve impossible goals.”

Solar Impulse will then have its next leg of the flight from Honolulu to Phoenix, Arizona. Both Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard will fly together across the Atlantic on the way of return path to Abu Dhabi.

The design and construction of Solar Impulse took 12 years in which the first version of the craft was rolled out in the year 2009 has now broke records for heights and distances travelled by a couple of pilots powered solar plane.