Abu Dhabi // The first round-the-world solar-powered plane landed safely in Japan on Monday after bad weather forced it to turn back while crossing the Pacific Ocean.
Solar Impulse 2, sponsored by the Abu Dhabi clean energy company Masdar, had taken off on Saturday from Nanjing in China on its way to Hawaii on the seventh leg of its record-setting journey.
But the plane, piloted by Andre Borschberg, hit a weather front over the Pacific and had to turn back. Flight engineers at mission control in Monaco erupted in cheers and applause as it touched down in Nagoya, central Japan, just before 7pm UAE time.
“Life is like this and adventure is like this,” said Bertrand Piccard ,the project’s other pilot.
The Pacific crossing of 8,172 kilometres and at least 120 hours would have been the longest solar flight in distance and duration, and Mr Piccard said those records had been broken despite the setback.
“We have an unexpected delay but it’s the longest flight ever of a solar aeroplane.”
The plane and Mr Borschberg will stay in Nagoya until a safe weather window can be forecast to try the crossing again.
A small ground crew was waiting in Japan to deal with the unplanned landing, with most of the technicians expected to arrive today from Nanjing.
The aircraft was tied down overnight to ensure it was not buffeted by wind. The support team will be bringing an inflatable hangar to protect it.
The pilot was relaxed during the descent into Nagoya Komaki airfield, and took a moment to tweet a picture showing the skyline of the city from the cockpit about 4.30pm.
After the plane circled Nagoya for four hours, the team was given clearance to land at 6pm. The delay was to set up the Solar Impulse 2 landing team and for the project to get the necessary custom clearances and approvals, which usually takes days.
“We thank our Japanese friends who have been very flexible and who at the last minute gave all the permissions for landing,” Mr Piccard said.
He said the weather problems could not have been foreseen.
“When we took off from China it was quite clear we could cross the front, it was almost easy, I would say. The weathermen were very confident, but five days in advance it’s difficult to predict.
“Now the window has closed.”
“The weather front is too thick, too big,” Mr Piccard said.
The plane would have had to fly through thick layers of clouds to get to Hawaii, or to go around the weather in search of sun for power. The plane is capable of doing so, but it could have extended the flight time from the expected five days to more than a week.
“The only safe decision is to stop in Nagoya, wait a few days before carrying on,” Mr Piccard said. “Now we have a delay, everybody will rest because let me tell you, it has been two days of really hectic work. Then we will continue to Hawaii.
“The round-the-world trip is not going as fast as we would like but speed is not the objective. The goal is to arrive.”
Solar Impulse 2 is powered by more than 17,000 solar cells built into wings that, at 72 metres, are longer than those of a Boeing 747, and approaching those of an Airbus A380 superjumbo.
The plane took off from Abu Dhabi on March 9 on the first leg of the flight. It arrived in Nanjing on April 21.
nalwasmi@thenational.ae
* Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
