Solar Plane Breaks Record

The solar plane 'Solar Impulse 2', which took off from Japan for its final journey, crossed the Pacific Ocean and ultimately flew for 120 hours non-stop, breaking a record. The plane landed in Hawaii on Friday, July 4. The Swiss pilot of the plane, André Borschberg, has broken the record for solo flight. His 36,000-kilometer journey, along with fellow Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard, began in March from Abu Dhabi. Piccard stated, 'You can imagine that a solar plane has traveled further without using fossil fuels than a conventional plane.' He continued, 'This is a clear message that clean energy can make impossible goals possible.' Solar Impulse 2, equipped with 17,000 solar cells, was intended to traverse continents and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans over five months. This endeavor keeps alive the hope of using clean energy instead of fossil fuels at a time when the world faces extensive climate change. Although this plane has a lower speed than a Boeing, it has managed to cover a greater distance without refueling. A month ago, the pilot had to abandon an attempt to reach Hawaii from Nagoya, Japan, due to bad weather that posed uncontrollable risks for the pilot. The 120-hour flight to Hawaii is the longest distance a solar plane has ever traveled, especially over the ocean. The pilot, Mr. Borschberg, had to constantly monitor its movement and control, and as a result, he will likely need rest in the coming days.