The first-ever manned plane that can fly by day or night on solar power has completed the first leg of its US cross-country journey.
Solar Impulse, piloted by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, touched down at the Sky Harbour International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, at 7.30am GMT after an 18-hour flight from California.
The plane has previously flown from Europe to Africa, but its creators said this was the first cross-continent flight.
"I'm happy to be here, happy to have landed in Phoenix. It's a little bit like being in a dream," Mr Piccard told reporters after landing, adding he still had three-quarters of his battery power left.
Solar Impulse landing in Phoenix Before the flight he said: "All the big pioneers of the 20th century have tried to fly coast to coast across America.
"So now today we're trying to do this, but on solar power with no fuel with the first airplane that is able to fly day and night just on solar power."
The plane, which has a slim body and four electric engines attached to an enormous wingspan, flew quietly at an average speed of about 30mph (49km/h).
Energy provided by 12,000 solar cells powered the plane's propellers.
Bertrand Piccard before take-off The project aims to showcase what can be accomplished without fossil fuels, and has set its "ultimate goal" as an around-the-world flight in 2015.
"What we look for is to have a new milestone in this very exciting history of aviation that can attract interest of the people, of the political world, of the media and show that with renewable energies and clean technology for energy efficiency, we can achieve impossible things," Mr Piccard said.
The plane can fly at night by reaching a high elevation of 27,000ft (8,230m) and then gently gliding downward, using almost no power through the night until the sun comes up to begin recharging the aircraft's solar cells.
Other stops in the US are planned for Dallas, Texas, and the US capital Washington, before wrapping up in New York in early July.
Solar Impulse was launched in 2003.
The slim plane is particularly sensitive to turbulence and has no room for passengers.
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