Swiss pilot Raphael Domjan on Friday made his first attempt of the year at setting a new aviation record: reaching an altitude of 10,000 metres in a solar-powered aeroplane.

The SolarStratos electric plane took off from Sion airport in the Rhone valley in southwestern Switzerland at 1:21pm, in the hope that conditions higher up would prove favourable for record-chasing.

But it soon became clear that the rising warm air thermals Domjan needed to boost the ascent were not there, and it was better to save energy and try again another day — all in the pioneer spirit, according to the adventurer.

The wildfires in neighbouring France were likely among the reasons why the forecast conditions had changed.

Domjan touched down 38 minutes later, deciding to preserve the charge in the batteries wi

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