Solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 lands in India

Solar-powered plane touches down at Ahmadabad airport 16 hours after it took off from Oman

Last updated: September 15, 2018 | 22:59

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Ahmadabad: A Swiss-made solar powered aircraft has landed in western India, completing the second leg of its historic round-the-world trip.

The Solar Impulse 2 touched down Tuesday at Ahmadabad airport in Gujarat state, about 16 hours after it took off from Muscat, Oman.

The world's first aircraft powered by solar energy was to remain in Ahmadabad for two days before flying to the holy city of Varanasi in northern India on Saturday.

The Swiss pilots, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Boschberg, will take turns at the controls of the aircraft during their 35,000-kilometer (21,700-mile) journey.

The five-month long trip intends to highlight the importance of renewable energy.

The aircraft's wings are covered by more than 17,000 solar cells that recharge the plane's batteries. It flies ideally at around 25 knots, or 45 kph (28 mph).

Solar Impulse project shows the solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 flying over the Omani capital Muscat after taking off on Tuesday, for Ahmedabad in India on the second leg of its epic bid to become the first plane to fly around the world powered solely by the sun. The aircraft took off at 6.35 am (0235 GMT) for what is expected to be a 16-hour, 1,465 kilometre (910 mile) journey over the Arabian Sea.

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