A journey around the world with solar power

Jul 3, 2015 15:31 GMT  ·  By

This past Monday, pilot André Borschberg took off from Nagoya, Japan, and after 120 hours of flight, he will touch down today in Hawaii, on the first and longest solo flight recorded on the solar-powered Solar Impulse plane.

Breaking the previous 76 hours record set by the American Steve Fosset in 2006, André wanted to show the world what's actually possible with current solar technology.

André Borschberg must land on Kalaeloa airport, Hawaii, after flying four days and twenty one hours, having flown 8,221 km and spent his batteries to about 31% at landing time.

Once he reaches his destination, there will be some stringent constraint in place to ensure that the solar flier's 72 m wingspan is able to touch down safely and will have perfect wind conditions not to damage the plane. If the wind is too strong, Mr. Borschberg will be asked to circle the plane overhead until things calm down.

The pilot will have spent 120 hours of continuous flight, strapped to a seat that doubles as a toilet, bed and even exercise machine with little to no sleep. However, Borschberg received meditation and hypnosis training to help him maintain concentration to finish what it seems to be the most demanding journey in his life and a pioneering feat for solar-powered planes.

UPDATE: The plane landed safely on Kalaeloa airport at 06:00 AM HAST. André Borschberg is safe and sound. Prince Albert of Monaco was also present at the landing event to witness the record-breaking feat.

You can watch the landing and the live progress of the flight on the Solar Impulse website.