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Take Two

Solar Impulse plane begins first voyage across the US

By Take Two Staff
Published May 3, 2013
Ground crew wait on the tarmac before the Solar Impulse plane takes off on a multi-city trip across the United States from Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, May 3, 2013. Solar Impulse, considered the world's most advanced solar-powered plane, will stop for seven to 10 days at major airports in each city, so the pilots can display and discuss the aircraft with reporters, students, engineers and aviation fans. It plans to reach New York's Kennedy Airport in early July — without using a drop of fuel, its creators said.
Ground crew wait on the tarmac before the Solar Impulse plane takes off on a multi-city trip across the United States from Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, May 3, 2013. Solar Impulse, considered the world's most advanced solar-powered plane, will stop for seven to 10 days at major airports in each city, so the pilots can display and discuss the aircraft with reporters, students, engineers and aviation fans. It plans to reach New York's Kennedy Airport in early July — without using a drop of fuel, its creators said.
(
Tony Avelar/AP
)
Pilots Bertrand Piccard, right, and André Borschberg, left shake hands before the Solar Impulse plane takes off to embark on a multi-city trip across the United States from Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, May 3, 2013. Solar Impulse, considered the world's most advanced solar-powered plane, will stop for seven to 10 days at major airports in each city, so the pilots can display and discuss the aircraft with reporters, students, engineers and aviation fans. It plans to reach New York's Kennedy Airport in early July — without using a drop of fuel, its creators said.
Pilots Bertrand Piccard, right, and André Borschberg, left shake hands before the Solar Impulse plane takes off to embark on a multi-city trip across the United States from Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, May 3, 2013. Solar Impulse, considered the world's most advanced solar-powered plane, will stop for seven to 10 days at major airports in each city, so the pilots can display and discuss the aircraft with reporters, students, engineers and aviation fans. It plans to reach New York's Kennedy Airport in early July — without using a drop of fuel, its creators said.
(
Tony Avelar/AP
)
The Solar Impulse plane takes off on a multi-city trip across the United States from Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, May 3, 2013. Solar Impulse, considered the world's most advanced solar-powered plane, will stop for seven to 10 days at major airports in each city, so the pilots can display and discuss the aircraft with reporters, students, engineers and aviation fans. It plans to reach New York's Kennedy Airport in early July — without using a drop of fuel, its creators said.
The Solar Impulse plane takes off on a multi-city trip across the United States from Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, May 3, 2013. Solar Impulse, considered the world's most advanced solar-powered plane, will stop for seven to 10 days at major airports in each city, so the pilots can display and discuss the aircraft with reporters, students, engineers and aviation fans. It plans to reach New York's Kennedy Airport in early July — without using a drop of fuel, its creators said.
(
Tony Avelar/AP
)

Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.

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Listen 5:07
Solar Impulse plane begins first voyage across the US

A flight from California to New York usually takes about six hours, but for André Borschberg it's going to take a lot longer. Borschberg and fellow pilot Bertrand Piccard will leave Mountain View, California today for the Big Apple on the 'Solar Impulse,' the first solar-powered plane that can fly overnight. The goal is to make it across the US without using one drop of fuel. 

Here's video of the plane soaring over San Francisco: 

Pilot Andre Borschberg stepped off a helicopter on the way to Phoenix to speak with us, and joins us by cell phone.