GLOBALFLYER MAY MAKE ROUND-THE-WORLD TRY SOON FLIGHT, EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN KANSAS, WOULD BE FIRST NONSTOP SOLO.Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer MOJAVE - The first solo, nonstop around the world flight could start as early as Feb. 2, when weather and jet stream conditions are forecasted to be most favorable, the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer The Scaled Composites Model 311 Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer (FAA: N277SF) is an aircraft designed by Burt Rutan in which Steve Fossett flew a solo nonstop airplane flight around the world in a time of 67 hours 1 minute from February 28, 2005 until March 3, 2005. team announced Friday. The flight, expected to take about 80 hours, can occur any time from Feb. 2 into March. The Mojave-built aircraft will be flown by Steve Fossett James Stephen Fossett (born April 22, 1944 - missing September 3, 2007) is an American aviator, sailor and adventurer. Fossett made his fortune in the financial services industry and is best known for many world records including five nonstop circumnavigations of the Earth: as a , who was the first person to fly a balloon solo around the world. ``I have enjoyed many adventures with Steve, and am glad to be working together toward the setting of the last great aviation record with the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer,'' Virgin Atlantic Airways chairman Sir Richard Branson Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950 in Shamley Green, Surrey, England), is a British entrepreneur, best known for his Virgin brand of over 360 said in announcement. ``The attempt marks the next frontier in aviation. The boundaries broken by the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer will revolutionize air travel.'' The attempt will begin from an airport in Salina Salina (səlī`nə), city (1990 pop. 42,303), seat of Saline co., central Kans., on the Smoky Hill River; founded 1858 by settlers opposed to slavery, inc. 1870. , Kan. The attempt will follow rules set up by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, the governing body Noun 1. governing body - the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something; "he claims that the present administration is corrupt"; "the governance of an association is responsible to its members"; "he for aviation records. The FAI's rules state the attempt must start and finish at the same airfield and cross all meridians of the globe. The course must be at least 36,787.559 kilometers in length, which is roughly 23,000 miles. The GlobalFlyer's route will take it over or near Montreal, London, Paris, Rome, Cairo, Bahrain, Karachi, Calcutta, Shanghai, Tokyo, Honolulu and Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . The jet was designed by Burt Rutan and built by his Scaled Composites company at the Mojave Airport. The airplane was flown by Fossett to Kansas on Thursday. Jim Skeen, (661) 267-5743 james.skeen(at)dailynews.com |
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