66 hours around the world
2005-03-01 11:26
Salina - Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett has taken off on his attempt to become the first person to complete a solo trip around the world in an airplane without making a single stop.
Fossett, the first person to circle the globe solo in a balloon, launched his GlobalFlyer from the Salina Municipal Airport about 23:45 on Monday, beginning a 66-hour journey by climbing northeast into a darkening sky.
Hundreds of spectators, braving a bitterly cold wind, gathered along the 3km runway to watch the takeoff. Fossett hoped to return to Salina on Thursday morning.
The 37 013km flight had already been postponed several times because of shifting jet stream patterns or weather at the airport.
"I'm a bit nervous about takeoff," said Fossett, 60, who has logged about 30 hours in the jet-powered aircraft. "I will be the ultimate test pilot. I have a lot to worry about. It's a major endeavour."
Financed by Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson, it would be the first solo flight around the world without stopping to refuel.
Aviation pioneer Wiley Post made the first solo around-the-world trip in 1933, taking more than seven days and stopping numerous times along the way. The first nonstop global flight without refueling by a duo was made in 1986 by Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan, brother of Burt Rutan, designer of the GlobalFlyer.
Besides the nonstop record, Fossett will attempt to break seven other aviation records, including the longest flight by a jet aircraft. The current record is more than 19311km, set by a B-52 bomber in 1962.
Mission control director Kevin Stass said Fossett would fly over Chicago, Detroit and Canada before heading across the Atlantic. The route would then take him over Africa, the Middle East, India, China and the Pacific Ocean.
The flight plan was adjusted once more later Monday after Algeria closed a portion of its airspace, said mission control director Kevin Stass. The change, he said, would slightly reduce the overall length of the flight and save some of the fuel aboard the single-engine jet.
Fossett planned to fly at an average speed of 462km/h and rely on the jet stream to stretch his fuel. The GlobalFlyer will have about 15% extra fuel to allow for weather conditions or other changes to the flight plan, said Jon Karkow, chief engineer for the flight.
Fossett will survive on diet milkshakes.
Branson planned to follow Fossett in a chase plane for the first day of the flight and on the last leg. He gave Fossett his wristwatch, complete with emergency beacon device, to wear for the flight.
"We want you and (the watch) back in one piece at the end," Branson quipped.
Fossett became the first to fly a balloon solo around the world in 2002 after nearly dying twice in six attempts to set the record.
- AP