Nanjing: Solar Impulse 2 (Si2), the world's first solar-powered plane is getting ready for its historic flight from China to Hawai this week.
Piloted by Andre Borschberg, the 8175-kilometer Pacific crossing flight, may take off from Nanjing in eastern China on Thursday if weather permits.
Borschberg, 62, will fly the Si2 by himself during five days and five nights, above the Pacific Ocean. This will be the seventh of 12 flights.
I will fly 5 days and 5 nights in Si2's cockpit, from Nanjing to Hawaii; it will be the flight of my life, said Borschberg on Twitter.
I will fly 5 days and 5 nights in #Si2's cockpit, from #Nanjing to #Hawaii; it will be the flight of my life pic.twitter.com/oG5bVdBcWh
— André Borschberg (@andreborschberg) May 4, 2015
According to Solar Impulse, the Pacific crossing will be the longest flight, an estimated 120 hours, in both distance and duration ever made with a solar plane.
Si2 has more than 17,000 solar cells on its wings to power its motors and recharge its batteries for nighttime flying.
Borschberg also said that for the flight over the Pacific ocean, he will take with him 2.5 kilos of food and 3.5 liters of water per day.
Borschberg, CEO, co-founder and pilot of the Si2 added that he plans to take periods of rest of 20 minutes upto eight times a day if the weather or turbulence will let him do so.
Solar Impulse, on its official Twitter page said to tackle the challenges of crossing oceans, both Bertrand Piccard and Andre Boschberg went through a 72-hour simulation.
After Hawaii, the plane is slated to stop in Phoenix and New York before flying over the Atlantic Ocean.
The Si2 left Abu Dhabi in March and since then it has stopped in Oman, India and Myanmar.
