A record breaking solo flight

Swiss Solar Impulse 2 pilot Andre Borschberg, 62, has made aviation history with a record breaking solo flight across the Pacific using a solar-powered plane.

After travelling more than 8,000 kilometres (4,900 miles) on the latest leg of the round-the-world trip, he arrived in Hawaii Friday.
 

 

June 28, 2015: Swiss pilot André Borschberg (L) and the Solar Team going through the usual pre-flight procedures before the Swiss-made solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 took off from the international airport in Nagoya, Japan, headed for Hawaii. (AFP/Solar Impulse project)

 

 

June 29, 2015: Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg (R) and his wife Yasmine before the Swiss-made solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 takes off from the international airport in Nagoya, Japan, headed for Hawaii.  The revolutionary Solar Impulse 2 aircraft passed "the point of no return" on June 29 after it left Japan bound for Hawaii, the most ambitious leg of its quest to circumnavigate the globe powered only by the sun. Pilot Borschberg, 62, left the city of Nagoya around 3:00 am (1800 GMT), five days after weather problems forced the organisers to cancel an earlier attempt. (AFP/Solar Impulse project)

 

 

June 29, 2015 and provided by the Solar Impulse project shows the Swiss-made solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 (top L) taking off from the international airport in Nagoya, Japan, destined for Hawaii. (AFP/Solar Impulse project)

 

 

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Pilot André Borschberg at the controls. (AFP/Solar Impulse project)

 

 

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June 29, 2015: Sunrise a little while after the Swiss-made solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 took off from the international airport in Nagoya, Japan, headed for Hawaii. (AFP/Solar Impulse project)

 

 

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July 2, 2015: André Borschberg during his flight after three consecutive days. A solar-powered aircraft flying from Japan to Hawaii on the most perilous leg of a round-the-globe bid has passed the two-thirds point, and was under 40 hours from landing, organizers said. (AFP/Solar Impulse project)

 

 

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July 3, 2015: Solar Impulse 2, a solar powered plane piloted by Swiss Andre Borschberg, approaching Kalaeloa Airport, Oahu, Hawaii.  The Solar Impulse 2 aircraft completed an historic flight in its quest to circle the globe without consuming a drop of fuel, touching down gracefully in Hawaii on Friday after the most arduous leg of its journey. The sun-powered plane, piloted by veteran Swiss aviator Andre Borschberg, took five days to make the historic voyage from Japan to Hawaii and landed shortly after dawn at Kalaeloa Airport on the main Hawaiian island of Oahu. (AFP/Solar Impulse project)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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July 3, 2015: Solar Impulse 2 as it is about to land in Hawaii with André Borschberg at the controls. The First Round-the-World Solar Flight will take 500 flight hours and cover 35,000 km (21,748 miles), over five months. Swiss founders and pilots, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg hope to demonstrate how pioneering spirit, innovation and clean technologies can change the world. The duo will take turns flying Solar Impulse 2, changing at each stop and will fly over the Arabian Sea, to India, to Myanmar, to China, across the Pacific Ocean, to the United States, over the Atlantic Ocean to Southern Europe or Northern Africa before finishing the journey by returning to the initial departure point. (AFP/Solar Impulse project)

 

 

The Solar Impulse 2, a solar powered airplane, piloted by Andre Borschberg, flies over Kalaeloa Airport, Hawaii, with a bright moon on July 3, 2015

 

 

July 3, 2015: Here, Solar Impulse 2 is pictured approaching Kalaeloa Airport, Oahu, Hawaii.  (AFP/Solar Impulse project)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Solar Impulse 2 lands at  Kalaeloa Airport, Hawaii, on July 3, 2015. Solar impulse 2 is attempting to be the first solar powered airplane to fly around the world without using fuel. The airplane took off from Nagoya Japan on its eighth leg and flew non-stop before landing on Oahu.  The revolutionary Solar Impulse 2 aircraft completed an historic flight Friday after circling the globe without so much as a drop of fuel, then touching down seemingly effortlessly in Hawaii. The sun-powered plane, piloted by veteran Swiss aviator Andre Borschberg, spent five days to make the historic voyage, landing shortly after dawn at Kalaeloa Airport on the main Hawaiian island of Oahu.

 

 

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Solar Impulse 2 pilots Bertrand Piccard(L) and Andre Borschberg(R) are greeted by the Hawaiian Pa`u Riders with a Hawaiian lei after Borschberg landed Solar Impulse 2 at  Kalaeloa Airport, Hawaii

 

 

July 3, 2015: The Solar Impulse 2 pilots Andre Borschberg (L), and Bertrand Piccard  raise their hands during a press conference at Kalaeloa Airport, Hawaii

 

More on the Solar Impulse 2 venture

Solar Impulse 2 pilot becomes aviation legend

Record-breaking solar plane nears Hawaii