High Winds Couldn’t Keep Solar Powered Plane Grounded

High winds delayed the landing of the tiny solar-powered plane, which weighs less than a large SUV.

In this handout image supplied by Jean Revillard, Solar Impulse 2, a solar-powered airplane, takes flight as it begins its historic round-the-world journey from Al Bateen Airport, on March 09, 2015 from Abu Dhabi, UAE. The 35,000km journey is expected to last five months and is piloted by Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard of Switzerland. The Solar Impulse 2 is equipped with 17,000 solar cells, has a wingspan of 72 metres, and yet weighs just over 2 tonnes. Jean Revillard via Getty Images

After an eight-day postponement, Solar Impulse 2, a solar-powered plane piloted by Andre Borschberg, completed its first leg of an around-the-world journey early on Monday, according to a CNN report. 

The March 1 departure had been postponed due to strong dust storms that created hazy conditions.

“We have had a lot of sandstorms in Abu Dhabi, and also a lot of wind, sea breezes, higher than the limit,” said the team’s meteorologist Luc Truellemas in an interview posted on Twitter and YouTube.

Wider than a Boeing 747, Solar Impulse’s wingspan is 236 feet, but it weighs less than a large SUV at 2.5 tons.

Andre has worked on this airplane … for 12 years.

— Bertand Piccard, fellow pilot