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Solar Plane Flies Over Statue of Liberty

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FILE - Solar Impulse 2 flies over San Francisco, April 23, 2016. The solar-powered airplane has left Pennsylvania for New York City on the latest leg of its globe-circling voyage.
FILE - Solar Impulse 2 flies over San Francisco, April 23, 2016. The solar-powered airplane has left Pennsylvania for New York City on the latest leg of its globe-circling voyage.

A solar-powered airplane circled the Statue of Liberty before landing in New York before dawn Saturday, as part of a 'round the world flight that took the aircraft across the United States.

The experimental Solar Impulse Two aircraft landed in darkness at John F. Kennedy International Airport, concluding a five-hour flight from the city of Allentown, Pennsylvania.

It's the latest leg of the electric plane's flight by Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, who are sharing navigating duties. Organizers say the flight, which is using no fuel, shows the possibilities of clean energy technology.

Their goal is to return to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates where the trip began in March of 2015. The plane made stops in Oman, Myanmar, China, Japan and Hawaii, as well as several cities in the continental U.S.

The four-motor aircraft is covered with solar cells that charge batteries and flies day and night at a speed of about 45 kilometers per hour.

The plane's next leg, which could come within a week, will be an attempt to fly over the Atlantic Ocean, reportedly to Spain, France or Morocco.

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