Solar Impulse Plane Lands Safely in Switzerland

It is now a very big day in the aviation world. This is because a solar powered plane has just landed in Switzerland following the completion of the first ever successful nighttime flight. This plane, called the Solar Impulse, is powered by 12,000 super efficient solar cells. They are able to capture enough power to allow the plane to stay in the air once the sun’s rays go down.

This plane was able to reach heights of 8,700m during its 26 hour flight. This is both the longest and highest recorded flight for a solar powered plane ever. It did all of this before landing at Payerne airport yesterday morning.

The Swiss fighter jet pilot, Andre Borschger, was at the controls of this four engine aircraft. He said that during the whole of the flight, he just sat there and watched the battery charge level rise and rise. He said that sitting in a plane that is producing more energy than it is consuming is just a great feeling.

The trial designer, Bertrand Piccard, said that this was the moment that proved their mission was successful. He went on to say that the plane had emerged from the darkened skies with enough battery lift for a further three hours of flight. This was a lot more than what the team had ever expected.

After the flight Mr Borschberg went on to say that this is a very symbolic moment for the aviation industry. People will be able to fly by night using solely solar power. This is just a stunning manifestation of the potential that clean technologies offer today.