ISLAMABAD (APP) – Solar powered plane has entered in the Pakistani air space that will take round for six hours on the second leg of its epic bid to become the first plane to fly around the world powered solely by the sun, the Radio Pakistan reported.
The aircraft left Muscat for Pakistan at 07:00am (PST) and entered in Pakistani airspace at 11:40am (PST) hours today (Tuesday).
Later, the plane will land in India s Ahmedabad city.
Pilot Bertrand Piccard was at the controls, taking over from fellow Swiss aviator Andre Borschberg. “I will remember #Oman forever!” Piccard tweeted prior to take-off.
On Monday Borschberg had touched down in Muscat after the first leg of the journey, 13 hours and two minutes after leaving Abu Dhabi.
“The adventure has started,” Solar Impulse chairman Piccard, 57, said just after Borschberg took off in the early morning from Abu Dhabi s Al-Bateen airport, on a journey that the aviation industry ridiculed when it was first unveiled.
Borschberg spoke of an “emotional” trip, telling reporters in Muscat he cruised at 6,000 metres (almost 20,000 feet) because the trip was “short”.
Piccard is set to fly higher on the trip to Ahmedabad, Borschberg said.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon hailed the venture and congratulated the pilots.
“With their daring and determination, we can all fly into a new sustainable future,” his spokesman said.
