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Solar plane to take off for Hawaii from Japan on Tuesday


The Solar Impulse 2 project staff members gathered around the aircraft as it landed the Nagoya Airport in Toyoyama

Solar Impulse 2, the solar-powered plane attempting to make the first flight around the world without fuel, is set to take off for Hawaii from Nagoya, Japan on Tuesday morning Hawaii time.

Organizers said Monday the plane, which has been delayed due to weather, will depart for Hawaii at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The flight from Nagoya to Hawaii is the longest leg of the venture, lasting five consecutive days and nights, said the Solar Impulse 2 team in a press release.

Swiss explorers and pilots Andre Borschberg and Betrand Piccard originally planned for Borschberg to fly the plane from Nanjing, China, to Honolulu earlier this month.

Solar Impulse 2 was in the air for one day and 20 hours before weather conditions forced Borschberg to execute an unexpected landing in Japan.

Since the landing June 1, the crew has been waiting for favorable weather and preparing the plane for the longest leg of the journey.

The flight from Nagoya to Hawaii will be the most difficult leg of the whole round-the-world mission, said the Solar Impulse team in a news release.

Borschberg will pilot Solar Impulse 2 alone across Pacific.   

The plane departed March 9 from Abu Dhabi for the planned 25,000-mile trip around the world.  

The Solar Impulse 2 team will stream the take-off from Nagoya at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5atoKeYgOM.

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