Bertrand Piccard landed the fuel-free aircraft Solar Impulse in Nanjing, East of China, on Tuesday at 23:28 local time (15:28 UTC). The Swiss pilot took off from Chongqing, China, at 6:06 am local time on the same day (10:06 pm GMT on 20 April 2015) and flew for 17:22 hours, covering a distance of 1,241 km. The 6th leg of the Round-The-World Solar Impulse mission is thus completed, and the plane has finished its journey in Asia.

The Solar Impulse team is now getting ready for the challenge of crossing the Pacific Ocean. It will be achieved in two stages, first flying to Hawaii, USA, which is some 8,000 km away from Nanjing. This means five consecutive days and nights in the air, a particularly great mental and physical challenge for Solar Impulse co-founder André Borschberg, who will be at the controls of the aircraft.

The take-off will take place after giving Solar Impulse a thorough servicing and finding a favourable weather window.  

Solar Impulse World Record recognised by the FAI

After landing in Nanjing, Bertrand Piccard received the Diplomas for his World Records achieved during the leg from Muscat (Oman) to Ahmedabad (India) from the hands of FAI Observer Jakob Burkard.

(Photo credit: Solar Impulse; FAI)