The Solar Impulse 2, an aircraft with a 72-metre wing-span, weighing 2,300 kilograms (5,070 pounds) and powered only by the sun, took off from Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., to circumnavigate the globe. About 13 hours later, the Solar Impulse 2 successfully made a scheduled landing at Muscat International Airport in Oman, completing the first 250-mile (400km) stint of its journey.

A larger version of the first solar-powered plane built 5 years ago by Solar Impulse, a Swiss company, the aircraft has 17,000 solar panels fitted to upper surface of its wings that charge lithium-ion batteries to power four electric motors driving the four-meter propellers.

Out of the aircraft's total weight, the lithium-ion batteries account for about 1,400 pounds. The batteries were fully charged before take-off, though the solar panels will need to continuously provide the energy needed to keep the aircraft airborne throughout its 35,000-kilometer (21,700-mile) journey.

Over the next five months, Solar Impulse founder, André Borschberg and co-founder Bertrand Piccard will fly from one continent to the other, along with carrying out the aircraft's maintenance as well as campaigning for alternative energy sources. They will be required to fly solo for five days and five nights for some legs of the trip, such as while flying over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The journey will involve 25 flight days over a period of five months before the plane finally returns to Abu Dhabi in late July or August. Both the pilots have trained hard for the journey by practicing yoga and self-hypnosis to calm their minds and overcome the fatigue involved in long solo flights.

Borschberg and Piccard plan to rest for a maximum of 20 minutes straight, repeating the naps 12 times over a 24-hour period. If the Swiss pilot-entrepreneurs successfully complete the journey, it could demonstrate the remarkable potential of solar power.

After the stop-over in Oman, Piccard will now take over from Borschberg, ahead of the next leg of the journey to India.