The zero-emissions plane Solar Impulse 2 took off on Wednesday morning for its third flight, from Ahmedabad to Varanasi in India, on its way around the world.
Andre Borschberg will fly the solar-powered aircraft for 15 hours over a distance of more than 1,100 kilometres.
During this time, he will need to adjust his focus from flying the highly advanced aircraft to dealing with temperatures that could reach -30°C.
He will manage this using yoga techniques developed over the years by himself and his staff to get the maximum out of the 20-minute rest sessions he is allowed.
During the team’s stay in Ahmedabad, Mr Borschberg and his co-pilot and co-founder, Bertrand Piccard, visited schools to spread their message of developing technologies for a future less dependent on fossil fuels.
Mr Piccard said the aircraft’s departure from Ahmedabad, in the western state of Gujarat, was delayed by five days because of paperwork.
“The delay is [because of] administration, papers, stamps,” a frustrated Mr Piccard said before the aircraft finally took off.
“Since five days we are desperate to get all the stamps and we still have stamps missing.”
The team, about 150 strong, was busy on Tuesday night preparing for the next leg and doing maintenance on the aircraft.
nalwasmi@thenational.ae
