Fourth Stop On The Airplane's Zero-Fuel Circumnavigation Attempt

Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard safely landed Thursday at 7:51 pm local time Myanmar (1:21 pm GMT) at the Mandalay International Airport with Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) as it continues its journey around the world powered only by the sun.

The solar aircraft departed Varanasi (India) at 5:22 am local time India (11:52 pm GMT). Before arriving at this 4th stop on the global route, André Borschberg, Co-founder and CEO of Solar Impulse, was at the controls for the previous flight which crossed India.

Flying from Varanasi (India), it took the pilot 13 hours and 29 minutes to arrive in Myanmar where the team of Solar Impulse and the Si2 aircraft will stay for at least 3 days. From his cockpit, just before the descent of Si2 into Mandalay, Bertrand Piccard was welcomed by a warm message from the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, H.E. U Thein Sein, delivered by U Win Swe Tun, Director General, Department of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Transport. Piccard also spoke with Serge Pun, Chairman of First Myanmar Investment and Yoma Strategic Holdings, Si2’s Local Partner.

Solar Impulse’s ambitious attempt around the world with the first airplane with perpetual endurance pushes efficiency to an unprecedented level and serves to inspire people and governments worldwide to make a broader use of clean technologies. To promote its message, Solar Impulse uses its newly launched platform www.FutureIsClean.org. “We believe that renewable energies are a source of social cohesion, prosperity and peace” declared the pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, cofounders of Solar Impulse.

During the upcoming days in Myanmar, the team of Solar Impulse, together with the Swiss Embassy of Myanmar and Host Partner will organize several activities including educational learning sessions with approximately 800 university students meeting with the pilots and will host a press conference with the Solar Impulse Partners.

(Images provided by Solar Impulse. Top: Solar Impulse 2 departing for Myanmar. Bottom: André Borschberg & Bertrand Piccard welcomed by Mr. Soe Thein Minister of the President's Office of Myanmar after landing in Mandalay, Myanmar)

FMI: www.solarimpulse.com