Solar plane flight to Hawaii delayed by weather
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, delayed its planned take off for Hawaii from Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday morning due to changes in the weather.
The plane was scheduled to take off at 7:30 a.m. Hawaii time on Tuesday, but organizers said the weather did not cooperate and the take off is on hold, pending an improved weather outlook.
The flight from Nagoya to Hawaii will be the longest leg of the venture, lasting five consecutive days and nights.
Swiss explorers and pilots Andre Borschberg and Bertrand 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, the Solar Impulse team said in a news release.
Borschberg will pilot Solar Impulse 2 alone across the Pacific.
The plane departed March 9 from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for the planned 25,000-mile trip around the world.
The Solar Impulse 2 team is streaming the takeoff attempt from Nagoya at youtube.com/watch?v=M5atoKeYgOM.
