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11/02/2024 11:22:15 am

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Solar Impulse 2 Completes Journey Across America

Solar Impulse 2

(Photo : Reuters) Solar Impulse 2, the solar airplane, piloted by Swiss adventurer Andre Borschberg, flies over the Statue of Libery in in New York.

The solar-powered aircraft, Solar Impulse 2, has completed its journey across the United States after its arrival at the John F. Kennedy Airport this weekend. The voyage, which began last year in the United Arab Emirates, ended after the plane safely at its final destination in New York on Saturday.

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The Swiss-made plane landed at the John F. Kennedy International Airport at around 4 a.m. after nearly five hours of flight from Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania. The trip across the United States started in April when the plane landed in San Francisco from Hawaii.

Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard are the pilots of the Solar Impulse 2. Following their successful crossing of the United States, the duo are reportedly now preparing for the next leg of the voyage which would see them cross the Atlantic Ocean to either Europe or South Africa.

The pilots revealed that they took turns in piloting the Solar Impulse 2. They devised a 20-minute shift to allow each other to sleep. The two also adopted unique techniques to quickly recover their energy. Piccard claims he uses self-hypnosis, while Borschberg uses yoga.

In a statement acquired by CBS News, Borschberg said, "It's a question of mindset. You know, when you board the airplane, you think five days' flight is going to be long, it will be very long. If you think it's a great experience, something fantastic, something special, something for you, it's completely different."

While flying across the U.S., the two stopped in Phoenix; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Dayton, Ohio; and Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The Solar Impulse 2 has wings which are wider that those of the Boeing 747. The plane's wings are equipped with 17,000 solar cells that harness solar energy and powers the plane's propellers. It also charges its batteries. The Solar Impulse 2 runs on the stored energy at night.

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