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Virgin, Scaled in Plans for Circumnavigation Flight
Aviation Week and Space Technology ^
| 10/27/2003
| Aviation Week Staff Reporter
Posted on 10/27/2003 6:09:37 PM PST by Young Werther
Virgin Atlantic Airways plans to use a Scaled Composites aircraft in an attempt next year to complete the first solo nonstop circumnavigation of the globe. The aircraft, dubbed the GlobalFlyer, will be flown by either Steve Fossett or Virgin Atlantic Chairman Richard Branson. Branson is acting as the reserve pilot. The aim is to complete the flight in less than 80 hr. The Burt Rutan-designed, composite-material aircraft has a maximum gross weight of 22,066 lb. and an empty weight of 3,577 lb., which allows for 18,000 lb. of fuel. Wingspan is 114 ft. The GlobalFlyer is powered by a single Williams FJ44-3 turbofan engine. Maximum altitude for the pressurized cockpit aircraft is 52,000 ft.
TOPICS: News/Current Events; Technical
KEYWORDS: flight; globalflyer; roundandround; scaledcomposites; virginairways; virginatlantic
Branson has asked Rutan to build the vehicle that will surpass Rutan's earlier circumnavigation feat. Hopefully, this will allow Rutan to gather in the money to complete SpaceShip1 and begin work on SpaceShip2!
To: Young Werther
Oh Man, I thought this was, Never Mind......
2
posted on
10/27/2003 6:11:00 PM PST
by
cmsgop
( Always wash you hands after touching "The Gift")
To: Young Werther
So in the past 50 years not one B-52 has ever flown around the world? I'd assumed with mid-air refueling it's been done at least one time.
3
posted on
10/27/2003 6:54:05 PM PST
by
Bogey78O
(No! Don't throw me in the briar patch!!!!!)
To: Bogey78O
The B-52 flights were not solo. And I believe what makes this special is the non-refuelled aspect of it in addition to the lone pilot.
4
posted on
10/27/2003 7:09:28 PM PST
by
FreedomCalls
(It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
To: Young Werther
Richard Rancid, er, Branson may be exciting aeronaughtically (yes, pun), but he's a leftwing twit and backer of questionable causes. I saw him interviewed on Charlie Rose earlier this month. Fantastic egomaniac, lover of the UN, Mandela, all things anti-American. All he needs is a Jane Fonda to put him in Ted Turner's league. So hold the applause.
5
posted on
10/27/2003 7:30:47 PM PST
by
PoisedWoman
(Fed up with the CORRUPT liberal media)
To: FreedomCalls
Jan. 16, 1957 Three B-52Bs of the 93rd Bomb Wing flew nonstop around the world. With the help of several in-flight refuelings, the bombers covered the 24,325-mile route in 45 hours and 19 minutes, cutting in half the previous record. Average speed was 530 mph.
From the Boeing web page to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the BUFF. I was stationed at Minot and accumulated 160 hours of BUFF time. Not bad for a non-rated staff officer who just liked to go flyin'!
To: Young Werther
160 hours is not bad indeed!
7
posted on
10/27/2003 8:32:03 PM PST
by
FreedomCalls
(It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
To: Young Werther
93rd Bomb Wing? Fairchild AFB?
8
posted on
10/27/2003 8:57:12 PM PST
by
ASOC
(The honest truth is, the guy at the pointy end of the stick sets the Nations policy - nobody else)
To: Young Werther
I've got a little vial of "World Flight" crankcase oil from the Voyager here at the house. It's encased in acrylic and mounted on a walnut base. I bought it at Oshkosh in '87.
9
posted on
10/28/2003 3:36:50 AM PST
by
snopercod
(Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:)
To: PoisedWoman
liking the UN is not a crime - how does that make Richard Branson Anti-American he probably does not even think about America - the world does not revolve around America -I don't think about USA unless I have to...
but live in peace anyway
To: snopercod
11
posted on
09/27/2004 1:18:21 PM PDT
by
Cboldt
To: Cboldt
Wow...the internet is experiencing some really bad latency or something ;-)
The Voyager crankcase oil was the only "part" they could sell. I think I paid $150 for it at Oshkosh, but memory fades...
Sometimes I wonder what it's worth, but I have never seen any for sale on E-bay or anywhere.
My memory must be really getting crappy. Where did we meet before? I keep thinking C=Chris. Is that right?
12
posted on
09/27/2004 3:05:03 PM PDT
by
snopercod
("I'm so proud to be a part of this great mass deception" --Frank Zappa)
To: PoisedWoman
Fantastic egomaniac Doesn't this describe all billionaires?
13
posted on
09/27/2004 3:08:49 PM PDT
by
killjoy
(The sky is falling and I want my mommy.)
To: snopercod
My memory must be really getting crappy. Where did we meet before? I keep thinking C=Chris. Is that right? Heheheh. Yours and mine both. I mixed your handle up with "Socratic," who was poking fun about "moose mane" yesterday, and I hunted down a link <-- Link.
"C" stands for cookie, that good enough for me ...
My apologies for the false high-five. FR is a bit like the old game of Concentration!
14
posted on
09/27/2004 3:26:25 PM PDT
by
Cboldt
To: cmsgop
Oh Man, I thought this was, Never Mind......You, too?
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