Solar Impulse 2 expected to land at Kalaeloa Airport by Friday

Hawaii prepared to host aviation history as the plane attempting to fly around the world powered only by solar energy could land in Honolulu as soon as Thursday night.

The Solar Impulse 2 — which took off from Nagoya, Japan, on Sunday — is expected to touch down between 10 p.m. Thursday night and 7 a.m. Friday morning at Kalaeloa Airport after completing the longest and most dangerous leg of its round-the-world journey.

After landing, the plane will be parked at the University of Hawaii hanger.

The state Department of Transportation said the public will be able to watch the plane’s arrival from outside the airport.

The spectators can see the runway from the parking area in front of the perimeter fencing on Midway Road between Enterprise Avenue and Lexington Street.

As of 6 p.m. Hawaii time Wednesday, the Solar Impulse 2 had finished 75 percent of its journey to Oahu, completing 3,604 miles of the 4,806-mile journey.

Peter Forman, aviation historian, said the historic landing at Kalaeloa Airport highlights Hawaii’s unique location.

“It is the only airport within thousands and thousands of miles,” Forman said. “It highlights Hawaii’s unique geography and how important this location is to air travel.”

Forman said he looks forward to attending the landing and expects the pilots will receive a warm welcome.

“It’s fascinating from a pilot’s standpoint,” Forman said. “What a lot of people don’t realize is it takes a very brave flight to get people’s attention for something. This is an airplane powered by the sun. This is a remarkable accomplishment, to open people’s eyes to how far the technology has come. They are doing an excellent job.”

Jeff Mikulina, executive director of Blue Planet Foundation, said the Honolulu- based clean-energy organization is planning to attend the landing to greet the Solar Impulse 2 with a giant lei made by the Hawaii Pa‘u Riders Association of Cook’s Ranch in Waimanalo.

“This is history in the making,” Mikulina said. “We wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

Mikulina said the solar-powered plane landing in Hawaii is relevant to what is happening in the isles as the state’s goal to reach 100 percent renewable electricity generation by 2045 officially took effect Wednesday.

At about 1 p.m. Wednesday, Solar Impulse 2 pilot Andre Borschberg broke a record in aviation history by spending 76 hours and 45 minutes in flight — the longest solo flight.

On Wednesday evening, Borschberg had four of his eight oxygen tanks left, eight of 18 food rations, and 15 of 25 liters of water to help him complete the journey.

Borschberg, Solar Impulse 2 co-founder Bertrand Piccard and Solar Impulse 2 team members are live-tweeting the flight by posting updates about Borschberg’s condition and the plane’s status.

Despite frustration as the takeoff from Japan was delayed several weeks, the flight’s organizers did the right thing, Forman said.

“They acted like pilots with good judgment,” he said. “This is the very best weather right now for the flight.”

The sun is the only source of energy for the carbon-fiber aircraft. The plane’s 236-foot wingspan was built with more than 17,000 solar cells, four electric motors and lithium batteries replacing the need for fuel.

Hawaii will be the first of four U.S. destinations for the plane. The Solar Impulse 2 will take off for Phoenix from Hawaii, and then make an as-yet-undetermined stop in the Midwest, followed by a landing in New York.

Since leaving Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in March, the plane has traveled to Muscat, Oman; Ahmedabad and Varanasi, India; Mandalay, Myanmar; Chongqing and Nanjing, China; and Nagoya, Japan.

Borschberg alternates as pilot with Piccard.

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The Solar Impulse 2 team provides updates of the plane’s progress at 808ne.ws/1H29dgp.

Updates from Borschberg are provided on Twitter through the pilot’s account @Andreborschberg.

The Solar Impulse 2 team updates the plane’s progress through the account at @solarimpulse.