Aeroplane powered by sunlight takes off from New York’s JFK Airport to begin perilous 90 hour Atlantic crossing
Solar Impulse 2 sets course for Spain during latest leg of historic light-powered around the world voyage
The light-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft has taken off from New York to begin a long and dangerous journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
It set off from JFK Airport at 6.30 BST to complete "the first transatlantic solar and electric crossing with zero fuel and zero emissions", with pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls.
The pioneering craft was deigned to become the first aeroplane to travel around the world using solar power in place of fuel, but its journey has been dogged with delays and setbacks.
Solar Impulse 2 was forced to wait out the winter in Hawaii after it smashed the record for the longest uninterrupted flight in history during a 118 hour journey from Japan in June last year.
The aircraft's batteries overheated and had to be replaced, leaving it grounded until April 2016.
Is mission then began again with a flight to Mountain View, the Californian home of Google.
"It's my first time taking off from JFK," Piccard said on a live feed from the cockpit as the solar-powered aircraft left America this morning.
The Solar Impulse 2 has a wingspan the same size as a Boeing 747, but has roughly the same weight as a car.
It collects energy using 17,000 cells fitted to its wings, which is then stored in four batteries so it can fly at night or during poor weather.
The trans-Atlantic flight will take about 90 hours and will end with Piccard touching down in Spain - the first time he's landed the solar aeroplane on European soil during the around the world journey.
He's hoping for good weather and has timed the journey to coincide with favourable flight conditions.
On its blog, the Solar Impulse team wrote: "Over the Atlantic Ocean, the weather can be rather unstable and unsettling so we can definitely expect to cross a cold front during the flight.
"As many sailors have expressed before, the Atlantic Ocean holds the most difficult winds they have ever encountered. Therefore, the flight has to be timed correctly in order to make sure we are at the right spot at the right time.
"We also have to ensure that the takeoff and landing conditions are appropriate."
Solar Impulse 2 began its journey in Abu Dhabi, before stopping in countries including Burma, China, Japan and the US.
It is expected to reach Abu Dhabi later this year, marking the end of a long journey.
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