Solar Impulse-2 aircraft to be open for public viewing in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: The world's only fully solar powered aircraft ' Solar Impulse-2', which is in the city after its journey from Muscat, would be showcased to public tomorrow, according to the aircraft's Twitter account.

"PUBLIC DAY: come see #SI2 (Solar Impulse-2) in its #Ahmedabad tent tomorrow at 7:30 AM," said a statement on Solar Impulse-2's Twitter account.

However, it would be kept in the open only for an hour or two, said sources associated with the project.

The globetrotting 'Solar Impulse 2' aircraft made a landing at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel International Airport here since Tuesday night, 15 hours after it took off from Muscat.

Andre Borschberg, the project co-founder and pilot of SI-2, besides its co-pilot as well as president Bertrand Piccard, who are in the city, are likely to stay here for two more days.

Meanwhile, a sudden change of weather and untimely clouds in the city's sky as well as a thunderstorm-like atmosphere today led the 'Solar Impulse-2' team to work voluntarily in the dark.

"Solar team now working in the dark: voluntarily power outrage because of risks of thunderstorms in Ahmedabad in India," said the Twitter account of SI-2, with a picture showing the aircraft in the dark.

SI-2 reached Muscat on Tuesday, nearly 13 hours after it left Abu Dhabi.

From Ahmedabad SI-2 is scheduled to fly to Varanasi, and from there it would go to Mandalay in Myanmar as well as Chongqing and Nanjing in China and thereafter to the USA.