Solar Impulse Makes Final U.S. Landing in New York

Solar Impulse finished its final leg across the United States on a symbolic high note, with a flyover of the Statue of Liberty and a landing at JFK International Airport in New York City.

Pilot André Borschberg made the five-hour flight in the all-solar-powered Si2 from Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, landing early Saturday morning at about 4.

“The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of American values: the liberty to be a pioneer, the freedom to explore and invent,” Borschberg said after landing. “It welcomes travelers who arrive in this country, and flying over it was a tribute we paid for the special welcome we received at each destination.”

The high-profile visit to the Big Apple gives Solar Impulse its best chance yet to spread its message of a clean-energy future in America. Pilots and co-founders Bertrand Piccard and Borschberg have been making media appearances in New York and, on Monday, met with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who praised Solar Impulse’s innovation and vision for clean energy.

The Solar Impulse team hasn’t yet chosen a date or destination for the next leg of its round-the-world flight, which will take it across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. In a blog update, Solar Impulse stated the next destination would be somewhere between Ireland and Morocco.

You can watch highlights from the Si2’s flight over New York below.