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World's only solar-powered aircraft in India

by IBNS 11 Mar 2015, 01:09 am

Ahmedabad, Mar 11(IBNS) The world's only solar-powered aircraft, which landed in Ahmedabad on Tuesday night is likely to stay in the city for a couple of days before leaving for Varanasi.

Powered only by solar energy, the aircraft is on a world journey without having to use any fuel. Next to India, it will  fly to Myanmar, China, the US and will return to Abu Dhabi.

Pilot Andre Borschberg told CNN-IBN,  "Ahmedabad is right destination for us as required technology is here. We have technology which has been developed and produced in Gujarat."

Another pilot and SI-2 co-founder Bertrand Piccard said, "It is fantastic to have a plane that can fly continuously without fuel. We should use this technology to save energy."

The aircraft  landed at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel International Airport at 11.25 PM on Tuesday after flying from Muscat  in the morning.

The aircraft is also likely to hover above Ganga river in Varanasi to spread the message of cleanliness and clean energy.

. The single-seater aircraft, made of carbon fibre, has a 72 meter wingspan, larger than that of Boeing-747 and weighs only 2,300 kg.

The 17,248 solar cells on the wing recharge four lithium polymer batteries weighing 633 kg each, which allow the aircraft to fly at night.