Solar plane lands in NY, completing journey
Updated: 2013-07-07 15:14
(Agencies)
|
|||||||||
NEW YORK - An airplane entirely powered by the sun touched down in New York City late on Saturday, completing the final leg of an epic journey across the United States that began over two months ago.
The Solar Impulse, its four propellers driven by energy collected from 12,000 solar cells in its wings to charge batteries for night use, landed at John F. Kennedy Airport at 11:09 pm EDT (0309 GMT), organizers said.
The experimental aircraft had left Dulles International Airport outside Washington for its last leg more than 18 hours earlier, on a route that took it north over Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey.
The spindly aircraft had been expected to land in the early hours of Sunday, but the project team decided to shorten the flight after an 8-foot (2.5 meter) tear appeared on the underside of the left wing.
The condition of the aircraft was declared sufficiently stable to continue, and pilot Andre Borschberg was not in danger, the organizers said.
The Solar Impulse is the first solar-powered plane capable of operating day and night to fly across the United States.
With the wingspan of a jumbo jet and the weight of a small car, the aircraft completed the first leg of the journey from San Francisco to Phoenix in early May and flew later that month from Phoenix to Dallas.
From there it flew to St. Louis, stopped briefly in Cincinnati, then flew on to Washington, where is has remained since June 16.
Intended to boost support for clean energy technologies, the project began in 2003 with a 10-year budget of $112 million (90 million euros).
It has involved engineers from Swiss escalator maker Schindler and research aid from Belgian chemicals group Solvay.
- Solar boat put to work for researchers
- Italian industry against duties on Chinese solar products
- China, EU pin hopes on talks to avert trade barriers
- NASA telescope to probe solar mystery
- Lessons from subsidizing the solar industry
- 'Heavy losses' if China-EU solar sector talks fail
- A growing rift on solar panels
- Solar products heat up dispute
- Asiana flight crashed at SFO (Pictures)
- Finding everlasting love
- Heat stroke death raises concerns for outdoor workers
- Peng, Hsieh win Wimbledon women's doubles title
- Train explodes, levels center of Canada town
- China-Russia navy drill furthers ties
- Famed monkey takes a new direction in New York
- Djokovic, Murray to vie for Wimbledon title
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Pain lingers after Xinjiang attack |
Tunnel builders sweat it out on new rail line |
Graduates face grim hunt for job |
Parents learn a lesson on homes |
Taking the reins of great change |
Lifting the veil of feng shui |
Today's Top News
Japan set to restart reactors after nuclear crisis
Sino-Swiss free trade pact signed in Beijing
First panda born in Taiwan is female
Efforts help channel funds into real economy
Koreas agree in principle to reopen industrial park
2 Chinese dead in San Francisco air crash
China reiterates prudent monetary policy
Companies plan massive investment in Xinjiang
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |