Zero-fuel solar plane lands in Cairo in penultimate stop before ending its worldwide trip in the United Arab Emirates.
Solar Impulse 2 – a plane powered by energy from the sun – landed in Cairo on Wednesday after taking 48 hours and fifty minutes to fly there from Seville in Spain.
Before landing in Cairo, the plane passed through Algerian, Tunisian, Italian and Greek airspace, and also flew over the Giza pyramids.
BREAKING @andreborschberg has landed in #Cairo after 2 days of flight & a flyover of the #Pyramids! #futureisclean pic.twitter.com/HD4J5XOHH5
— SOLAR IMPULSE (@solarimpulse) July 13, 2016
The sun-powered plane was welcomed by Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation Sherif Fathy and the United Arab Emirates' Ambassador to Egypt Juma Mubarak Al Junaibi at Cairo International Airport.
Cairo was the penultimate stop as the solar-powered plane prepares for the last leg of the experimental journey..
The final stop is Abu Dhabi, where the challenge began in March 2015.
The Swiss pilot of the plane posted about the landing on his twitter account:
The final approach to #Cairo was a bit tough but I made it: my last flight of the adventure! #futureisclean pic.twitter.com/GhyKYd5hvO
— Andr Borschberg (@andreborschberg) July 13, 2016
The aircraft files without fuel, using more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings as well as rechargeable lithium batteries which allow it to travel during the night.
The plane is as light as a family car but as wide as a passenger jet.
It is able to cruise at 55-100 kilometers per hour (34-62 mph).
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