NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — A solar-powered plane forced to land in Japan when it hit bad weather during its trip around the globe has encountered more challenges after wind gusts damaged a wing on the grounded aircraft.
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — A solar-powered plane forced to land in Japan when it hit bad weather during its trip around the globe has encountered more challenges after wind gusts damaged a wing on the grounded aircraft.
Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg says on the expedition’s website that the damage to the Solar Impulse 2 on Tuesday will “necessitate at least a week to repair.” It has delayed the journey further, but he says the damage is not a major issue.
The Solar Impulse departed Nanjing, China, on Sunday on what was expected to be the longest leg of the journey, a six-day, 8,175-kilometer (5,079-mile) flight to Hawaii.
Instead, the plane landed late Monday at the Nagoya Airport in central Japan to wait out unexpectedly bad weather.
Borschberg is flying without any fuel.