Egypt's FM highlights 'soft power' in Mali meeting with alumni    Egypt's foreign minister opens business forum in Niger, targets new partnerships    Egypt's FM delivers Al-Sisi message to Niger's leader, seeks deeper security ties    Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    Remittances from Egyptians abroad surge 70% YoY in July–May: CBE    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit    Al-Sisi urges accelerated oil, gas discoveries, lower import bill    SCZONE signs $52.6m textile industry deals during China investment tour    Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation    Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Second-to-last stage for Solar Impulse 2
Published in Daily News Egypt on 11 - 07 - 2016

The solar plane has left Seville in Spain. Its next stop is Cairo, on a flight that is expected to take 50 hours. From Cairo, there will be only one more leg to Dubai – then the sun-powered world tour will be completed.
For pilot André Borschberg, this is already his last leg in the cockpit: On Monday at 6:20 a.m. local time he took off from the Spanish airport of Seville. He is scheduled to arrive in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Wednesday morning at 9:40 a.m. local time.
The last and 17th stage of the world tour will then take Solar Impulse 2 back to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
That's where Borschberg started the Solar Impulse 2 adventure on March 9, 2015. Borschberg's colleague and co-pilot Bertrand Piccard will fly the plane on that final leg. Borschberg and Piccard took turns over the entire tour.
Huge bird with a tiny cabin
Even though Solar Impulse 2 has a wing span that equals that of a jumbo jet, the plane only has one seat. It can only reach speeds of 40 to 100 kilometers per hour (25 to 65 miles per hour).
Over the course of their world tour, the two adventurers have already broken numerous records. In the class of solar-powered planes, they reached a record distance of 7,212 kilometers (or 4,481 miles) of uninterrupted flight, when Solar Impulse was traveling from Japan to Hawaii.
Nearly five continuous days in the air
For the longest uninterrupted flight, the solar airplane holds the absolute record among all kinds of airplanes. During the Pacific crossing, Solar Impulse was airborne for 4 days, 21 hours and 52 minutes.
After that, the Solar Impulse 2 had to take an unscheduled break. On its way to Hawaii, the plane's batteries overheated, and needed to be replaced with an improved model.
Engineers needed to do some fast developing and building. As a result, Solar Impulse was unable to fly between July 2015 and April 2016.


Clic here to read the story from its source.