Solar Impulse, claimed to be the world’s only solar-powered aircraft, will make a stopover in Ahmedabad today as a part of its maiden global journey.

“Solar Impulse will take off from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and land in Ahmedabad after making a first stop over at Muscat in Oman. It will make a pit-stop in Ahmedabad,” a release issued by the aircraft project’s PR firm said.

Solar Impulse landed at Muscat in Oman yesterday, completing the initial leg of its epic bid to become the first solar-powered plane to fly around the world. The aircraft touched down in Muscat after nightfall, 13 hours and two minutes after taking off from Abu Dhabi.

After making a landing in Ahmedabad, the solar-powered aircraft’s founders and pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg are likely to stay in the city for two days before leaving for Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, the release said.

Piccard and Borschberg, during their stay in the city, will reach out to the government, NGOs, universities and schools to spread the message of clean technologies.

The aircraft is also likely to hover above Ganga river in Varanasi to spread the message of cleanliness and clean energy, an official associated with the project said.

Solar Impulse is claimed to be the first aircraft to fly day and night without a drop of fuel, propelled solely by the sun’s energy, as per the project’s website.

This round-the-world flight will take-off from Abu Dhabi and make a halt at Muscat (Oman), Ahmedabad and Varanasi in India, Mandalay in Myanmar and Chongqing and Nanjing in China. After crossing the Pacific Ocean via Hawaii, the aircraft will fly across the US stopping at Phoenix, the Midwest and New York City, said the website.