Sawt Falasteen - Swiss pilot takes big step closer to solar plane altitude record

Self-described eco-explorer Domjan, 53, flew the SolarStratos electric plane to an altitude of 8,224 metres in a flight lasting around four and a half hours, his team told reporters, after he landed back at Sion airport in southwestern Switzerland.

The current altitude record for a solar plane stands at 9,235 metres, set in 2010 by the Solar Impulse experimental aeroplane, flown by Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg.

Domjan is aiming to get to 10,000 metres or beyond -- flying at the same altitude as airliners.

A warm-up flight on July 31 got to 6,589 metres -- the highest-ever for SolarStratos.

And an attempt on Friday was cut short when the rising warm air thermals needed to boost the ascent failed to materialise, with Domjan turning back to preserve the charge in the batteries for Sunday, when the conditions looked more promising.

Sunday's second attempt of the season set a new high altitude best for the two-seater SolarStratos, which has high-spec solar panels covering its huge 24.8-metre wingspan.

The slow-charging plane will be left out in the sun to get the batteries back up to 100 percent for the next attempt.

"To be a pioneer, an adventurer, it means trying something you are not sure will succeed," Domjan told AFP on Friday.

"We'll try and try until we go to 10,000 metres."

V.Said--SF-PST