Solar plane departs Phoenix on 2nd leg of U.S. trip

Trip intended to boost interest in clean energy

Solar Impulse, piloted by André Borschberg, takes flight during the second leg of the 2013 Across America mission, at dawn, today from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix.

PHOENIX  — A solar-powered plane is flying from Arizona to Texas on the second leg of a trip across the United States.

The Solar Impulse is making the first attempt by a solar airplane capable of flying day and night without fuel to fly across the U.S.

The plane took off from Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport at 4:47 a.m. MST today and is scheduled to arrive in Dallas early Thursday morning.

Pilot Andre Borschebrg is one of the plane’s creators along with Bertrand Piccard.

The plane flew its first leg from California in early May. From Dallas, it will fly to Lambert-St. Louis airport, Dulles airport in near Washington and New York’s John F. Kennedy airport.

Each flight leg takes 20 or so hours, with multiday stops in each city.