Article Posted on : - Jul 04, 2011

PAYERNE (BNS): Wrapping up three international flights, world’s first solar-powered plane Solar Impulse has touched down at its home base in Payerne, Switzerland.

The ‘green’ aircraft that made its first public appearance at the Paris Air Show last month, returned to Payerne on Sunday evening.

The plane, during its European campaign, completed three international flights.

Piloted by co-founder Andre Borschberg, it flew from Payerne to Brussels on 13 May, covering a distance of 630km, then from Brussels to Paris-Le Bourget on 14 June, a distance of 395km. The last flight back home from Le Bourget was on 3 July, a distance of 426 km.

The successful flights are a major milestone towards an around-the-globe flight by Solar Impulse set for 2014.

“With a round the world flight scheduled for 2014, these flights have provided good learning opportunities in terms of slotting the solar aircraft into international air space and landing at international airports,” the website dedicated to the programme said.

The high-tech aircraft, with the wingspan of a large airliner but weight not more than a saloon car, made its maiden flight in April 2010. Few months later, it achieved another feat by flying around the clock solely on sun’s energy.