While a tour around the world may sound appealing to many, making the journey non-stop, with no sleep, no company and a significant risk of crashing could only appeal to one person.
American adventurer Steve Fossett hopes to soon break as many as seven records — including the first solo, nonstop flight around the world — when he departs on GlobalFlyer, an experimental craft described as ”a fuel tank with room for one”.
After postponing his flight several times, Fossett plans to depart on February 21 from Salina Municipal airport in the Midwestern United States state of Kansas, although weather changes could still interfere with the date.
To make the journey even riskier, the 60-year-old billionaire must complete the 70-hour flight without refuelling or sleeping. If successful, Fossett is guaranteed to set at least three flight records.
Breaking records has become Fossett’s life work. He recently set the Zeppelin speed record and also broke the round-the-world sailing record on his maxi-catamaran Cheyenne. Fossett’s most famous endeavor came in 2002, when he became the first person to circumvent the globe in a hot-air balloon.
For this next flight, Fossett will have to take his craft much higher, 16km above the Earth’s surface, which is well above the normal path of cargo and passenger planes.
The Kansas airport was chosen partially because of its brand new 4 000m runway. The wide Midwest region of the United States also offers many opportunities for emergency landings after takeoff and upon approach.
”If I run out of fuel in the last thousand miles, I will be able to glide to a safe landing in any airport in Western USA,” said Fossett. ”If I had chosen a West Coast airport, I would risk ditching in the Pacific.”
The plane must carry enough fuel for the trip inside twin outer booms, and fuel will make up 83% of the plane’s weight at takeoff, reports said. But the fuel will still fall short unless the craft can ride the jet stream, a high altitude wind.
GlobalFlyer has a wingspan of 35m, similar to that of a Boeing 737. It has a single turbofan jet engine, like that found in Cessna Citation Jets.
Because of the weight from the fuel tanks, simply getting the craft into the jet stream demands an experienced pilot.
”This will be an endurance test for me,” said Fossett.
While in the air, the trip promises anything but comfort. The weight from the fuel will worsen the effects of turbulence. In addition, Fossett will have to sit for most of the time in the dark, as the flight against the earth’s rotation makes the days shorter.
In order to keep Fossett from enjoying anything more than 10-minute cat naps, a Cessna Citation jet will accompany the GlobalFlyer for parts of the trip. Aboard that jet will be Virgin Group chairperson and fellow adventurer Richard Branson, who will stay in contact with Fossett. Virgin Atlantic is funding the project.
The flight will take Fossett over Paris, Rome, Cairo, Pakistan, India, China, Japan, Hawaii and Los Angeles, before setting down again in Kansas.
GlobalFlyer was designed by Burt Rutan, who designed SpaceShipOne — the first private aircraft to enter outer space in two launches last year.
Rutan also designed a craft called Voyager, which carried two people on the first non-stop flight around the world in December 1986. Voyager, which was piloted by Rutan’s brother Dick and co- piloted by Jeane Yeager, made its landing with only 48kg of fuel left. – Sapa-DPA