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| Solar Impulse-2 Set to Land |
| Solar Impulse-2 Set to Land in Varanasi After Delays in Ahmedabad Due to Bad Weather, Red Tape
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| INDIA
, 18-March-2015
7:36:49 AM |
| 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.
RelatedAfter Many Hurdles, Solar Plane Finally On Way to Varanasi
Solar-Powered Aircraft to Land in Varanasi on Wednesday
Solar Plane Takes Off For Varanasi After Extended Stopover in Ahmedabad
"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.
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