PICS:Solar plane to cross Pacific in 5 days, 5 nights

The aircraft will climb to the altitude of Mount Everest, almost 9,000 meters, during the day to get more sunlight, recharge the batteries and store more energy. At nighttime, the plane will fly lower, at a minimum of 1,000 meters. The pilot will experience temperatures ranging from 35 degrees Celsius in the morning to minus 20 degrees Celsius early in the evening while the plane is still high up. "It's winter and summer every day in the cockpit," said Borschberg, who flew military jets for 25 years as a reserve pilot in the Swiss army and is an entrepreneur by profession. He plans to take periods of rest of 20 minutes up to eight times a day, but said he doesn't know if the weather or turbulence will let him. Borschberg said the plane has a "virtual co-pilot" that is a stabilization tool. It will sound an alarm to wake him if the aircraft does something unplanned.