"A solar energy plane made the world's first international flight powered by the sun on Friday to show the potential for pollution-free air travel.

The Solar Impulse took off from an airfield at Payerne in western Switzerland on Friday morning and landed at Brussels airport after a 13-hour flight.

'The objective is to demonstrate what we can do with existing technology in terms of renewable energy and energy savings,' project co-founder and pilot Andre Borschberg told Reuters by telephone during the flight."

Christopher Le Coq reports for Reuters May 16, 2011. [2]