Welcome, Solar Impulse-2

The world's only solar-powered aircraft “Solar Impulse-2” will fly over Bangladesh this evening, spreading the message of clean air and clean energy as part of its maiden global journey.

The “no-fuel”, purely solar-powered Swiss aircraft, which is now in India, will fly over Bangladesh for Myanmar around this evening “if everything goes as planned”.

Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, who are trying to make history by flying a solar-powered plane, started the first round-the-world flight on March 9 from Abu Dhabi (UAE). They are expected to return to Switzerland at the end of July or early August.

The aircraft is expected to fly from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh this (Thursday) morning if the weather is perfect.

According to a press release of the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, this solar-powered aircraft is designed to remain airborne day and night without using a drop of fuel.

The plane's exceptional aerodynamic performance and energy efficiency (three times greater than commercial aircraft) make this possible. A team of technicians and scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) worked together on this ground-breaking project, the statement reads.

This first round-the-world solar flight involves landings in Oman, India, Myanmar and China before crossing the Pacific Ocean. It will then stop-over in the United States and finally cross the Atlantic Ocean, heading for Southern Europe or North Africa and to its point of departure.

“Solar Impulse is a campaign for the more sustainable use of resources and it aims at demonstrating that with clear vision it is possible to go beyond what is currently thought to be possible,” the statement says.