By Thom Patterson | CNN
The quest to complete the first solar-powered flight around the world moved a bit closer to reality Tuesday.
Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg announced the Solar Impulse 2 aircraft will depart the United Arab Emirates on their historic adventure in late February or early March, making a total of 12 planned stops.
The route includes landings in Myanmar; China; India; Phoenix, Arizona; and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. At speeds between 50 and 100 kilometers per hour (31-62 mph) Piccard and Borschberg aim to circle the globe flying about 25 days over a total of about five months.