Solar Impulse 2 touches down in the Heart of the United States

After a 18 hours and 10 minutes flight, Solar Impulse 2, piloted by Bertrand Piccard, landed safely in Tulsa International Airport in Oklahoma at 06:15 CET (04:15 UTC, 23:15 Local Time). With the successful completion of the 11th leg of the circumnavigation the aircraft has reached the center of the US country.

Piccard left from Phoenix Goodyear Airport, Arizona, in the early hours of Thursday morning 12th May at 12:05 CET (10:05 UTC, 03:05 Local Time). The live broadcast showed the plane descending slowly and landing smoothly at night, silhouetted by the flashing lights of airport vehicles. The Solar Impulse team referred to Tulsa as a symbolic pit stop for the plane as it lies at the heart of the iconic American highway Route 66 in the south-central state of Oklahoma.

This leg marks the third flight of the solar plane this year and is expected to head towards New York. After crossing the United States, the pilots are set to make a trans-Atlantic flight to Europe, from where they make their way back to their point of departure in Abu Dhabi (UAE).

Photo Credit: Solar Impulse