Dubai: High above the Pacific Ocean, Swiss explorer Andre Borschberg gave the thumbs up from Solar Impulse 2 on Thursday as he made global aviation history for logging an 80-hour non-stop solo flight midway between Japan and Hawaii — the longest ever in terms of time spent in the air.
On Friday morning, at 2:10am UTC (6am in Dubai/Abu Dhabi) the solar-powered plane had already covered 7,471 and was closing in on Hawaii (less than 700 km away) following more than four days of flying from Japan, so far the riskiest leg of its circumnavigation attempt.
The plane is expected to perform "holding patterns" before expected landing at 16:000 UTC (8pm in Abu Dhabi). This will enable Borschberg to rest and be in great shape for landing.
The Swiss flyer is expected to sleep for 20 minutes and the plane will be on autopilot prior to landing in Kalaeloa, Hawaii, according to organisers.
"On the weather side, landing at sunrise should happen in the most stable conditions, and we might even get the opportunity to get amazing pictures. No rush, there's no fuel on board," the ground crew posted on its website.
The solar plane first took off March 9 from Abu Dhabi on a multi-leg mission to circumnavigate the globe without using a single drop of fuel.
When Borschberg touches down in Hawaii, the entire flight time will eclipse all prior flight records for single solo sustained flight by logging an estimated 120 hours in the air without refuelling.
On its website, Solar Impulse 2 said “it is a feat never accomplished in the world of aviation.”
Here's a live stream of flight from Nagoya, Japan, to Hawaii.
In a live interview on Friday as he flew closer to Hawaii, Borschberg said he's tired but in high spirits.
"This flight has been costly on the human and personal level. But during the night time, it's quite special. On one side, I see the full moon and on the other Jupiter and Venus are very close to each other, which is very rare. The sky is unbelieably beautiful, over the last five nights."
Asked about what's next after Hawaii, Borschberg said: "If we dont finish this year, we will finish next year."
Borschberg said Solar Impulse 2 had set a new record for being the first time to fly solo over the Pacific ocean for five days and five nights.
"(During this long flight) I have had no problems with the motors and battery. They are extremely energy efficient, extremely reliable. That's what we wanted to demonstrate. The benefits are potentially huge."
Record
At 80 hours flight time and crossing 5,663km, Borschberg bested the formerly held record by pilot Steve Fossett who flew Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer in 2006 around the world for 76 hours without landing.
“Can you imagine that a solar powered airplane without fuel can now fly longer than a jet plane?” quipped Bertrand Piccard, initiator, chairman and co-pilot of Solar Impulse, in a statement.
“The first 24 hours were very technical”, said Borschberg, “but the second day was really getting me into the mission. It took me a while to create a relationship of trust with the airplane, which allows me to rest and eventually sleep in periods of 20 minutes with autopilot. 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.”
Solar Impulse 2 is expected to continue on to the United States and will return to Abu Dhabi later this summer as part of a 13th stage when the plane departs from Europe for the final journey home to UAE.
