Details Still Being Worked Out, But Solar Aircraft Designers Hopeful

While nothing is yet set in stone, the United States may get its first up-close look at the Solar Impulse solar-powered airplane in 2013. The Solar Impulse Team confirms on its website that plans are in the works for a flight from California to New York City by way of Washington, D.C. next year.

According to the site, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, along with Marketing and Communications director Gregory Blatt, have been meeting with relevant government officials and agencies in an effort to move the effort forward. Switzerland's Ambassador to the U.S. has worked to facilitate meetings with key government and political representatives, as well as airports along the planned route of flight.

At an event at the Swiss Embassy in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, Ambassador Manuel Sager hinted at a possible time frame. "We are very happy to support the flight from the west to the east coast of the United States in the early summer of 2013," he said.

The Solar Impulse team said on the website that a flight across the U.S. would "be a great occasion to bring our message to a country which is in the forefront of innovation and pioneering spirit, and we are all very excited about the prospect of being able to share these values with a country that embraces our own DNA."

More details will be released as they become available.

(Image of Solar Impulse from its tour of Morocco in 2012)

FMI: www.solarimpulse.com