UN chief hails innovationb when meeting with solar-powered plane pilots

Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon (center) smiles as pilots Andre Borschberg (L), Co-founder, CEO and pilot of Solar Impulse and Bertrand Piccard, (r), Initiator, Chairman of Solar Impulse celebrate Bank Ki-moon's birthday during his visit to Solar Impulse 2 at JFK International Airport in New York, NY on June 13, 2016. The solar powered plane named Solar Impulse 2 landed in New York City in the pre-dawn hours of June 11th, and is currently waiting for favorable weather to continue it's plan to circle the globe. [Photo/IC]

NEW YORK - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday met with the two pilots of a solar-powered plane on their global-circling voyage, hailing innovation and experimentation for a more sustainable future.

"I have followed this audacious, historic and transformative expedition from day one," Ban said when meeting with Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, pilots of the Solar Impulse 2, at John F. Kennedy International Airport, during the expedition's stopover in New York City.

"As we see before us, innovation and experimentation will help us move into a sustainable future," said Ban, noting that "the plane's technologies can help halve the world's energy consumption, save natural resources and improve our quality of life."

The Solar Impulse 2, the spindly, single-seat experimental aircraft the size of a 747 with the weight of a car and the power of a small motorcycle, uses no fossil fuels and has no emissions.

Its 35,000-km round-the-world journey began in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates in March 2015. It made stops in countries including Oman, India, China and Japan. New York City is its 14th stop around the world.