The plane is the successor to Solar Impulse, a smaller craft which notched up a 26-hour flight in 2010, proving its ability to store enough power in lithium batteries during the day to keep flying at night.

Solar Impulse 2 is the first solar-powered plane to be able to fly around the world including a five-day stretch above the Pacific Ocean — without a drop of fuel. The project is the fruit of 13 years of research and testing by Piccard and Borschberg, whose idea was initially ridiculed by the aviation industry.

Its round-the-world trip — that will take around five months — includes stops in Oman, India, Myanmar, China, USA, Southern Europe or North Africa depending on weather and other conditions and is scheduled to arrive back in Abu Dhabi in July.

The plane will take off from Abu Dhabi to Muscat in the neighbouring Sultanate of Oman before crossing the Arabian Sea to India. It will then head towards Myanmar, China, Hawaii and New York.

Solar Impulse 2 will travel at speeds of between 50 and 100 kilometres per hour (30 and 60 miles per hour), and will fly on a lower altitude during the night, 1500 metres, in order to save energy.

Borschberg was the first to test the plane last week, and, after Piccard took it for a spin as well. The duo is ready for take off, and is expected to head out for its around-the-globe trip this week.

The light-weight carbon fibre aircraft weighs only 2.3 tonnes, about the same as a family 4X4 vehicle and is powered by more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings which, at 72 metres (236 feet), are almost as long as those of an Airbus A380 super jumbo.

sorce:Khaleej Times