Solar Impulse 2 low speed taxi test

Payerne, Switzerland: Solar Impulse 2, the second single-seater solar aircraft of Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg designed to take up the challenge of the first round-the-world solar flight, without any fuel in 2015, is currently being tested at Payerne airfield. Today the team performed a speed test on the runway. This test is the second last before the maiden flight. Solar Impulse 2 test flights are due to take place from end of May/early June, followed by training flights of Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg over Switzerland. The attempt to make the first round-the-world solar-powered flight is scheduled to start in March 2015 from Gulf area. Solar Impulse will fly, in order, over the Arabian Sea, India, Burma, China, the Pacific Ocean, the United States, the Atlantic Ocean and Southern Europe or North Africa before closing the loop by returning to the departure point. Landings will be made every few days to change pilots and organize public events for governments, schools and universities.