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Solar plane attempts second Morocco flight

June 22 2012 at 09:48am
By SAPA

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iol scitech may 25 Solar Impulse

REUTERS

File photo: Solar Impulse CEO and pilot Andre Borschberg sits in a life-size cockpit model of the solar-powered wingspan airplane during a flight simulation at the airport in Duebendorf near Zurich.

Rabat - An experimental solar plane hoping to one day fly around the world is making its second attempt to fly over Morocco's High Atlas mountain after earlier being thwarted by high winds.

The delicate Solar Impulse has the immense wing span of a commercial jet but the weight of a family car. It took off on Thursday morning from the capital Rabat and hopes to reach the city of Ouarzazate, 280 miles (465 kilometres) away by late night.

Pilot Andre Borschberg attempted the same flight on June 14 but had to turn back after unexpectedly strong winds buffeted the slow moving plane and sent it reeling backwards.

The plane flew from Switzerland to Morocco to publicise the possibilities of solar power and highlight the North African country's own solar power plans. - Sapa-AP

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