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| Solar Impulse plane's trans-America bid continues | Solar Impulse plane's trans-America bid continues |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Solar Impulse solar-powered plane has set off on the second leg of its trans-American journey. | The Solar Impulse solar-powered plane has set off on the second leg of its trans-American journey. |
| It took off at 04:47 local time (12:47 BST) from Phoenix, Arizona on Wednesday, bound for Dallas, Texas. | It took off at 04:47 local time (12:47 BST) from Phoenix, Arizona on Wednesday, bound for Dallas, Texas. |
| The craft will also stop over in St Louis and Washington DC before heading to New York in early July. | The craft will also stop over in St Louis and Washington DC before heading to New York in early July. |
| It has the same wingspan as an Airbus A340 but at a weight of just 1.6 tonnes, its backers hope to show off the capabilities of renewable energy. | It has the same wingspan as an Airbus A340 but at a weight of just 1.6 tonnes, its backers hope to show off the capabilities of renewable energy. |
| By comparison, a fully laden A340 weighs about 370 tonnes. | By comparison, a fully laden A340 weighs about 370 tonnes. |
| The Across America bid is the first cross-continental flight of a solar-powered plane. | The Across America bid is the first cross-continental flight of a solar-powered plane. |
| It is the last showpiece with the prototype aircraft before the Solar Impulse co-founders and pilots, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, attempt a trans-oceanic flight and an eventual around-the-world flight in 2015. | It is the last showpiece with the prototype aircraft before the Solar Impulse co-founders and pilots, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, attempt a trans-oceanic flight and an eventual around-the-world flight in 2015. |
| Solar Impulse already holds records for the first night flight of a solar-powered craft in 2010, the first international flight in 2011, and first inter-continental flight in 2012. | Solar Impulse already holds records for the first night flight of a solar-powered craft in 2010, the first international flight in 2011, and first inter-continental flight in 2012. |
| The plane's wing and stabiliser are covered with nearly 12,000 solar cells, which drive its four propellers and charge the plane's 400kg of lithium-ion batteries for night-time flying. | The plane's wing and stabiliser are covered with nearly 12,000 solar cells, which drive its four propellers and charge the plane's 400kg of lithium-ion batteries for night-time flying. |
| The plane completed its first leg, between San Francisco and Phoenix in early May, in a flight lasting 18 hours. | The plane completed its first leg, between San Francisco and Phoenix in early May, in a flight lasting 18 hours. |
| The two Swiss pilots will alternate on different legs of the journey; Wednesday's flight, due to last about 18 hours, is being piloted by Andre Borschberg. | |
| The Across America bid coincides with the pair's Clean Generation Initiative, an effort to encourage policy-makers and businesses to develop and adopt sustainable energy technologies. | The Across America bid coincides with the pair's Clean Generation Initiative, an effort to encourage policy-makers and businesses to develop and adopt sustainable energy technologies. |