The 'Solar Impulse' Electric Flight Across America Is Underway!

Solar Impulse early today (5.3.13) departing Moffet Field (CA) headed for Phoenix

 Back in July 2010, the Swiss designed and built Solar Impulse all-electric aircraft made an amazing 26 hour overnight flight (video recap of that flight here) - and early this morning, May 3, 2013, the airplane departed Moffet Field in Mountain View California on a journey across the United States of America. It's a multi-leg trip with the first stop at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix Arizona... expected arrival is after midnight local time. The aircraft had just entered Arizona when this post went live.

 You can follow the progress of the cross country trip while it happens, including live video, at live.solarimpulse.com - and you can learn more about the overall journey from California to New York, as well as about the aircraft at solarimpulse.com/en/across-america. The aircraft will remain at the various checkpoints of Phoenix, Dallas, St Louis, Washington DC, and New York for several days each with potential opportunities to view the aircraft. Check the website for more details.

 The Solar Impulse is a unique and thus far very successful effort to create an airplane that not only uses electric power, but is ultimately powered by the sun. A follow up aircraft that is slightly larger is being built with the goal of flying completely around the world in 20 to 25 days, probably some time in 2015.

 Godspeed Solar Impulse and crew!