Beijing, Aug 8 (IANS): A Chinese pilot and his crew left Beijing on Sunday on a flight across the globe, the first around-the-world flight from China.
According to pilot Zhang Bo, there will be around 50 stops and they will follow a part of the ancient Silk Road trade route, Xinhua news agency reported.
After two years of careful preparation, the single-engine turboprop TMB700 aircraft left Beijing airport on Sunday afternoon.
The 58-day journey will cover 40,000 km and over 20 countries including Russia, the US, Canada, Iceland and Britain.
An aviation enthusiast, Zhang learned to fly while studying for his doctor's degree at the University of Illinois. He now has over 600 hours of flying experience.