Solar Impulse 2: around the world without fuel

Solar Impulse-2 is a solar-powered plane without fuel which took off from the Abu Dhabi (UAE), heading east to Muscat in Oman on 9th March.

Over the next five months, it will cross both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard are pilots of Solar Impulse-2. Piccard and Borschberg will have to stay alert for nearly all of the time they are airborne.

The plan is stop off at various locations around the globe, to rest and to carry out maintenance, and also to spread a campaigning message about clean technologies.

The support team is well drilled. While the mission will be run out of a control room in Monaco, a group of engineers will follow the plane around the globe. They have a mobile hangar to house the plane when it is not in the air.