Swiss solar powered aircraft begins first international flight

Swiss solar powered aircraft begins first international flight

2011-05-13 20:11:52 GMT+7 (ICT)

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (BNO NEWS) -- A Swiss solar powered aircraft on Friday took off for its first international flight to Belgium to ultimately arrive in France, Solar Impulse said.

At around 8:40 a.m. local time, the Solar Impulse HB-SIA aircraft took off from an airfield in Payerne, in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It headed out to Brussels, Belgium, and according to the flight's schedule, the aircraft would pass over Luxembourg and land at the Brussels-Zaventem Airport.

The aircraft will later take off to its final destination, Paris' Le Bourget Airport in France, where it will be later exhibited at the 49th International Paris Air Show in June.

The Solar Impulse project, which is financed by private companies such as Deutsche Bank, Omega SA, and Solvay, was initiated by Bertrand Piccard in 2003, but the development team now includes 50 specialists from six countries with around 100 outside advisers.

After its introduction to the public in June 2009, the Solar Impulse made its first historic short-hop test flight on December 3, 2009.

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