Coast-to-coast solar plane flight set for May 1

For many years now, Swiss adventurer and balloonist André Borschberg has been working on an experimental solar-powered plane, which made its maiden flight in 2009.

Since a test showing that the Solar Impulse could stay aloft using solar power and solar-charged batteries, Borschberg has made test flight (Switzerland, 2010) after test flight (Madrid to Rabat, 2012), at ever-increasing distances.

Borschberg now has his sights set on the United States and is planning a cross-country, five-stage promo tour that will go from San Francisco to New York by way of Phoenix, Dallas, and Washington DC. The tour is set to begin on May 1—the plane will spend 10 days in each location to teach students and pilots about solar powered-flight.