Posted on 02/26/2005 10:07:10 PM PST by FairOpinion
The final preparations are being made today for a record-breaking attempt to fly solo non-stop around the world in less than 80 hours.
Adventurer Steve Fossett is hoping to become the first person to achieve this feat, dubbed the last great aviation challenge on earth by the project’s sponsor Sir Richard Branson.
The 54-year-old Virgin boss has poured more than £1 million into Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer – a futuristic single engined jet which will carry more than four times its own weight in fuel.
The attempt has been repeatedly delayed by poor weather but a clear forecast over the next few days means Mr Fossett should be able to make his bid for the record tomorrow.
GlobalFlyer VS101, built by aviation legend Burt Rutan in the Mojave Desert in California, will take-off from Salina, a little known city in Kansas.
Support staff and journalists flew to the US today to follow the aircraft’s three-and-a-half-day journey from Mission Control.
The take-off is the most dangerous part of the attempt as the 3,577lb tri-fuselage plane will be carrying more than 18,000lb of fuel.
Despite numerous test flights, GlobalFlyer has never flown with a full weight load on board.
One of the conditions of the attempt is that the aircraft is not refuelled in mid-air.
Speaking about the challenge last year Mr Fossett said: “We are worried about the ability of the plane to get off the runway with a full load of fuel.
“There won’t be a test with the full load until the actual flight.”
The 60-year-old American, who has a raft of ballooning and gliding records already under his belt, will cruise at a height of around 45,000ft for most of the 80-hour flight, relying on an autopilot system if he nods off.
He will be confined to a cabin stretching just 7.7ft long and have to answer the call of nature with the aid of what he described as “pee bottles”.
GlobalFlyer is scheduled to take-off at around 3pm local time (9pm UK time) tomorrow.
On leaving the US, the aircraft will follow the jet stream across the Atlantic to the UK and track a course south over London and Paris heading for the Mediterranean.
From there it will fly over Egypt, India, China and Japan before crossing the Pacific for the final stretch home.
It is due to land back in Salina on Thursday, March 3.
If all goes according to plan, GlobalFlyer will receive a rapturous welcome on its safe return.
Sir Richard will watch from the sidelines, but he may still have to take a starring role as he is the named reserve pilot – despite not having a pilot’s licence.
Last year he admitted: “Half of me particularly wants Steve to stay well but there is a bit of me that would love to do it.”
US adventurer Steve Fossett
Steve Fossett has set around-the-world records in a sailboat and a hot air balloon. On Monday, he aims to do it in an airplane.
If his latest adventure is successful, the American millionaire will be the first person to circumnavigate the globe on a solo, non-stop, non-refueled flight.
Hr's not even a pimple on the butt of SUPERDAVE.
Unless he crosses two points, each on opposite sides of the Earth, it is not truly an around the world flight. Last time I looked at his route of flight, it didn't meet that condition.
So...he gets off...climbs at ? rate....has an engine problem....what's the dump rate? Glide ratio @ mtow=?
Talkin big sink.
18000 gallons makes big smoke
Pucker factor=145% on the face of it.
LOTS of stuff this amateur does not know.
Godspeed on this test flight.
I agree. He's not flying a meridian or the equator. It's more like the Tropic of Capricorn (at best) and that's not an around the world flight.
Maybe it's bitching ala 2000 vs. 2001, but it's still not right to claim x when you did y.
What does this thread have to do with Terri Shiavo, or abortion?
Admin mod, please pull this immedieately.
/sarcasm
This is just to have a break from all the serious discussion -- just something else interesting.
BUMP
..Foxnews just showed him taking off..live
Here is a tentative route map: 
The "Around-the-World" record is defined by the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) at: www.fai.org/records
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