Solar plane successfully departs from Hawaii with no fuel
KAPOLEI, Hawaii (AP) — After some uncertainty about the winds, the Solar Impulse team has taken off from Hawaii, venturing off on another leg of their solar-powered, around-the-world journey nearly 10 months after landing in the state.
The aircraft landed in Hawaii last July but was forced to stay in the islands after the plane's battery system sustained heat damage on its trip from Japan.
The carbon-fiber aircraft weighs more than 5,000 pounds, or about as much as a minivan or midsize truck.
The wings of Solar Impulse 2, which stretch wider than those of a Boeing 747, are equipped with 17,000 solar cells that power propellers and charge batteries.