Solar Impulse 2, the solar powered plane, and crew are greeted upon arrival at Al Batin Airport in Abu Dabi to complete its world tour flight on July 26, 2016 in the United Arab Emirates. AFPAbu Dhabi: The world's first round-the-world flight to be powered solely by the sun's energy made history on Tuesday as it landed in Abu Dhabi, where it first took off on an epic 40,000 kilometer journey that began more than a year ago.
Since its March 2015 take off, the Swiss-engineered Solar Impulse 2 has made 16 stops across the world without using a drop of fuel to demonstrate that using the plane's clean technologies on the ground can halve the world's energy consumption, save natural resources and improve quality of life.
"Our mission now is to continue to motivate people, corporations and governments to use these same solutions on the ground wherever they make sense," Solar Impulse chairman and pilot, Bertrand Piccard, said in a statement ahead of landing the plane in Abu Dhabi.
The aircraft is uniquely powered by 17,248 solar cells that transfer energy to four electrical motors that power the plane's propellers. It runs on four lithium polymer batteries at night. The plane's wingspan stretches 236 feet (72 meters) to catch the sun's energy.
At around 2,300 kilograms, the plane weighs about as much as a minivan or mid-sized truck. An empty Boeing 747, in comparison, weighs 180,000 kilograms. To help steady it during takeoffs and landings, the plane was guided by runners and bicyclists.
Solar Impulse 2, the solar powered plane, arrives at Al Batin Airport in Abu Dabi to complete its world tour flight on July 26, 2016 in the United Arab Emirates. AFPRead: Beating the heat above the clouds
Despite its historic mission, the Solar Impluse 2's journey was far from a quick or problem-free.
The pilots faced a nine-month delay a year ago after the plane's batteries were damaged during a flight from Japan to Hawaii. It was also delayed for more than a week in Cairo ahead of its final flight to Abu Dhabi when Piccard fell ill, and due to poor weather conditions.
Over its entire mission, Solar Impluse 2 completed more than 500 flight hours, cruising at an average speed of between 45 kmh and 90 kmh.
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Swiss pioneer Bertrand Piccardis (top-R) and Andre Borschberg (top-L) with the team of Solar Impulse 2 after landing in Abu Dhabi. AFP
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Pilots Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard pose with Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, after the arrival of Solar Impulse 2 at an airport in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Reuters
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A photo taken from the Solar Impulse 2 shows the aerial view during the flight over the Red Sea. AFP
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Swiss pioneer Bertrand Piccardis takes a selfie during the last leg of the round the world trip of Solar Impulse 2. AFP
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Solar Impulse 2 arrives at an airport in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday. Reuters
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Solar Impulse 2 flies over Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, shortly before landing on Tuesday. AP
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The Solar Impulse 2 plane lands in an airport in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Tuesday, marking the historic end of the first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fuel, powered solely by the sun's energy. AP
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It made stops in Oman, India, Myanmar, China, Japan, the US, Spain, Italy, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Its North American stops included California, Arizona, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.
In a statement this week, Borschberg said it is no longer a question of whether it's possible to fly without fuel or polluting emissions.
"By flying around the world thanks to renewable energy and clean technologies, we have demonstrated that we can now make our world more energy efficient," he said.
(With agency inputs)
