Solar-powered plane lands safely after 24-hour flight
An experimental solar-powered aircraft launched on Wednesday has landed safely in Switzerland after successfully flying through the night. The feat is a step toward the makers' aim of circling the globe using the power of the Sun to fuel the plane.
The aircraft used super-efficient solar cells and batteries to stay in the air after the Sun's rays had faded. The plane touched down at an airfield about 30 miles (50 km) from the Swiss capital Bern at 0900 hrs (0700 GMT). The four-engine aircraft was steered by Andre Borschberg, a former fighter jet pilot from Switzerland. The plane has 12,000 solar cells arranged on its wingspan which stored enough energy to power the plane for the flight.