The solar-powered plane Solar Impulse-2.
New Delhi: The world's only 'no-fuel' solar-powered aircraft 'Solar Impulse-2' today took off for Varanasi from Ahmedabad after a week's stopover in the city and a two-hour delay this morning. It will take approximately 12 hours and 30 minutes to reach Varanasi, the only stretch it flies in India on its world tour.
The delay in take-off this morning was live-tweeted by the solar impulse team, which recorded its unhappiness with pilot and co-founder Bernard Piccard's struggle with customs and immigration clearance at Ahmedabad.
The team - which had to put off its departure from Ahmedabad twice due to bad weather since Sunday - tweeted appeals for help, pictures, pithy posts and even its version of John Lennon's 'Imagine' as Mr Piccard attempted to get necessary stamps on his passport this morning.
"BREAKING: @bertrandpiccard blocked in #Ahmedabad to get a stamp in his passport. Does anyone can help?" Solar Impulse tweeted, and at one point, "Could be mission critical."
As Twitter overflowed with criticism of bureaucratic and government functioning in the country, sources in the home ministry said that Mr Piccard, who flew the solar plane into Ahmedabad from Muscat last week, had moved out of the airport area without getting immigration and customs clearances when he landed.
The sources said when told about this, Mr Piccard, who is from Switzerland, had promised to get his paperwork in order as had the Swiss Embassy later, but no application was made. Not even, said the sources, when the solar plane was to take off on Sunday March 15, before bad weather grounded it.
The government also pointed to what it calls its goodwill gesture of waiving Rs 50 lakh in parking and airport charges for the plane for this extended stopover in Ahmedabad.
The single-seat plane, which was to leave Ahmedabad at 5.40 am today, took off after 7 am, and is being flown by a second pilot and co-founder Andre Borschberg, whose papers, sources said, are in order.
Mr Piccard has also cleared immigration now; he will fly out with a support plane this evening and will receive the solar plane in Varanasi.
Unhappy with the delay in Ahmedabad, Mr Borschberg had said, "The delay is administration. I am not here to accuse anybody. Since past five days, we have been trying to get all the stamps and paperwork. But every day, they say tomorrow,"
The delay in take-off this morning was live-tweeted by the solar impulse team, which recorded its unhappiness with pilot and co-founder Bernard Piccard's struggle with customs and immigration clearance at Ahmedabad.
The team - which had to put off its departure from Ahmedabad twice due to bad weather since Sunday - tweeted appeals for help, pictures, pithy posts and even its version of John Lennon's 'Imagine' as Mr Piccard attempted to get necessary stamps on his passport this morning.
"BREAKING: @bertrandpiccard blocked in #Ahmedabad to get a stamp in his passport. Does anyone can help?" Solar Impulse tweeted, and at one point, "Could be mission critical."
As Twitter overflowed with criticism of bureaucratic and government functioning in the country, sources in the home ministry said that Mr Piccard, who flew the solar plane into Ahmedabad from Muscat last week, had moved out of the airport area without getting immigration and customs clearances when he landed.
The sources said when told about this, Mr Piccard, who is from Switzerland, had promised to get his paperwork in order as had the Swiss Embassy later, but no application was made. Not even, said the sources, when the solar plane was to take off on Sunday March 15, before bad weather grounded it.
The government also pointed to what it calls its goodwill gesture of waiving Rs 50 lakh in parking and airport charges for the plane for this extended stopover in Ahmedabad.
The single-seat plane, which was to leave Ahmedabad at 5.40 am today, took off after 7 am, and is being flown by a second pilot and co-founder Andre Borschberg, whose papers, sources said, are in order.
Mr Piccard has also cleared immigration now; he will fly out with a support plane this evening and will receive the solar plane in Varanasi.
Unhappy with the delay in Ahmedabad, Mr Borschberg had said, "The delay is administration. I am not here to accuse anybody. Since past five days, we have been trying to get all the stamps and paperwork. But every day, they say tomorrow,"
Story first published: Mar 18, 2015 16:42 IST
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