# Fossett about to land! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 3, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775 "2005-03-03T17:29:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/1 "2005-03-03T17:29:03Z")
Despite fuel loss (or instrument failure), Steve Fossett is scheduled to land in Salina, Kansas today about 19:20GMT (2:20PM EST) after a 23,000 mile world roundtrip nonstop solo! > **[The Times & The Sunday Times](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/)** > > News and opinion from The Times & The Sunday Times [Global Flyer 2005 Home Page](http://www.virginatlanticglobalflyer.com) Two things puzzle me in this story: > [@](#): > > Mr Fossett has already broken one record on this trip - the “longest distance without landing”. That record had been held since 1962 by a B-52 which covered some 12,000 miles. What happened to the [non-stop flight in 1986 by Yeager & Rutan?](http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Explorers_Record_Setters_and_Daredevils/rutan/EX32.htm) Wouldn’t that one exceed the B-52’s record by a factor of 2? And another thing: > [@](#): > > The record for first non-stop round-the-world flight would not be ratified by the FAI but could be recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records. Why not? What does the FAI want? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/2 "2005-03-03T17:34:40Z")
" . . . after a 23,000 mile world roundtrip nonstop **solo!**" ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/3 "2005-03-03T17:37:07Z")
Latest update: According to the official site, estimated landing will be > [@](#): > > Salina, KS @ 19:17 UTC (13:17 local time) I guess Steve has picked up a tailwind that’s glad to see him. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/4 "2005-03-03T17:44:34Z")
Sorry, now I see what you’re saying - that the Yeager Rutan flight exceeded the '62 B-52 distance so why wasn’t it mentioned instead. Was the '62 flight solo? Curious, must investigate. . . ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/5 "2005-03-03T17:50:05Z")
from [http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/11041551.htm](http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/11041551.htm) > [@](#): > > Asked about the landing, Jon Krakow of Scaled Composites, the company that designed the plane, said Fossett might do a flyover to show off the plane to the crowd. > > The GlobalFlyer has two parachutes and Fossett also could choose to pop one or both of them, either to help him slow down, or to add spectacle. [Mission Control Page](http://www.virginatlanticglobalflyer.com/MissionControl/Tracking/) with Steve’s current position updated every three minutes on a map, also a live cockpit video, although I get a “stack overflow” error when I view that page and the cockpit looks empty! **Lieu,** “solo” wasn’t mentioned in those claims, but maybe that’s it. Can you fly a B-52 solo? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/6 "2005-03-03T18:03:32Z")
I found this [here](http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/b-52h.htm): "On 10-11 January 1962, a B-52H of the 4136th Strategic Wing, Minot AFB, North Dakota, completed a record-breaking 12,532.28-mile unrefueled flight from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, to Tbrrejon Air Base, Spain. This flight broke the old “distance in a straight line” world record of 11,235.6 miles held by the U.S. Navy’s propeller-driven “Truculent Turtle.” Could the “straight line” component play a part? Or might Yeager & Rutan not have met some critical FAI requirement? Off for more digging . . . ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/7 "2005-03-03T18:12:40Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Off for more digging . . . While **lieu** is digging, Steve is winging… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/8 "2005-03-03T18:23:40Z")
Are **lieu** and I the only Dopers watching this thing? 🙂 From [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp\_world/view/135510/1/.html](http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/135510/1/.html) > [@](#): > > The plane…has a strong glide capacity and could make the last 200 miles (325 kilometers) on an empty tank if necessary. Since there is only a hour to go, and he is currently at 23,000 ft, 134 knots (decelerating & descending), I’d say that even if he just ran out of fuel, he’s going to make it. Relatively crash-free, we hope. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/9 "2005-03-03T18:31:10Z")
Many of the articles I came across reaffirm that Yeager & Rutan’s Voyager flight holds the distance record, yet Fosse’s team claims the new record over the '62 flight and never mentions Voyager. I couldn’t find anything to explain the discrepancy. My guess is that, as with the 777’s claim to “Greatest distance in a great circle”, there’s some semantical angle to the claim. What it is exactly I’m not sure but here is, no doubt, the best place to encounter some kind soul in the know. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/10 "2005-03-03T19:02:13Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Two things puzzle me in this story:What happened to the [non-stop flight in 1986 by Yeager & Rutan?](http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Explorers_Record_Setters_and_Daredevils/rutan/EX32.htm) Wouldn’t that one exceed the B-52’s record by a factor of 2? From your first link > [@](#): > > Steve Fossett, the veteran American record-collector, crossed the California coast today and was just a few hours away from being the first man to fly **solo** and **non-stop** around the world in a **jet** aircraft **without refuelling**.(bolding mine) Yeager & Rutan Solo no Non stop yes jet no without refueling yes B 52 Solo no non stop yes jet yes without refueling yes. I think the critical item here is the powerplant, both the B52 and Mr. Fossett’s plane are jet powered. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/11 "2005-03-03T19:19:50Z")
**Rick:** To repeat my quote, > [@](#): > > Mr Fossett has already broken one record on this trip - the “longest distance without landing”. That record had been held since 1962 by a B-52 which covered some 12,000 miles. There are only two conditions in this news statement. Solo and refueling wasn’t mentioned (perhaps the statement was faulty, but that’s what it said.) B-52, 1962: 12,000 miles nonstop: yes Rutan/Yeager, 1984: 23,000 miles nonstop: yes Now which one should hold this record (until today)? ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/12 "2005-03-03T19:25:01Z")
The Rutan & Yeager flight should, since it was the longest distance nonstop without refueling and the first trip around the world nonstop without refueling. If Fosset is attempting to claim that his flight will both be the longest distance nonstop without refueling and the first around the world flight, nonstop without refueling, he’s full of it. He may be the first person who did it solo, but not the first flight of that specification. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/13 "2005-03-03T19:38:38Z")
And he’s done it. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/14 "2005-03-03T19:50:04Z")
I’m not going to rain on anyone’s parade over such quibbling details. Fossett has done something no one else ever did before and broke multiple records in the process. I have already gotten over that test pilots must be military to have the right stuff and no one should know their names. This harkens back to the golden age of aviation when the fastest planes in the world weren’t military but built in the Granville brother’s garage. Hell of a hat trick for Burt Rutan too, building both planes that did nonstop, non-IFR circumnavigations and the first private, human carrying spacecraft. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/15 "2005-03-03T19:54:30Z")
Sounds like Fosse has the new record for longest distance w/o landing or refuelling in a jet and solo to boot but that either his team or the media has been sloppy in their description/reporting. It’s a helluva feat, although Yeager & Rutan should be able to expect for this new feat to be celebrated without their equally impressive feat being trampled on. Nevertheless, kudos for that and first solo around the world to Fosse. I’m with you **Musicat** , a little accuracy or an adequate description shouldn’t have been too much to ask here. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/16 "2005-03-03T19:57:47Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > And he’s done it. I don’t have CNN, damn. Did they show it live? None of the major networks carried it all all. The official web site says he landed at 19:52 UTC. That would make him about 35 minutes later than expected. Did he run out of fuel and have to glide or did he stunt for the audience? Or use a parachute? The speed/altitude says 0 knots, 1234 ft. For a minute there, with no forward motion, I thought he was about to crash. Then I realized that is probably the height of Salina above sea level! ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/17 "2005-03-03T20:06:34Z")
What’s next? Around the world 2X nonstop? Pole-to-pole and back? FYI: > [@](#): > > The original plan was to incorporate three record attempts into Steve’s journey around the world. These include speed around the world without stopping or refueling, distance over a close [sic] circuit without landing, and distance without landing. Steve, as we now know, broke the latter record on Wednesday at 18.01 UTC. > [snip] > Days before…the Contests and Records Board division of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) arrived in Salina to start authenticating the event. > > Steve’s route was examined closely prior to take-off where it was checked to see whether it met with the specifications of the Board, which included a distance length equivalent to the length of the Tropic of Cancer and not going further north or south than 66 degrees. > [snip] > For a world record to be validated, the NAA must send information to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) for approval, and this normally takes six to eight weeks to be officially certified. If the FAI does not approve it then the record cannot be a world record. The above from [http://www.virginatlanticglobalflyer.com/News/Record\_collectors.jsp](http://www.virginatlanticglobalflyer.com/News/Record_collectors.jsp) > [@lieu](#): > > …either his team or the media has been sloppy in their description/reporting. The media I can understand, but since this event is quite an incestuous family-affair with the Rutans who were involved in both, odd that it got so confused. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/18 "2005-03-03T20:13:56Z")
[Here’s the first flight wrapup I’ve seen on the Web.](http://news.com.com/Mission+accomplished+in+round-the-world+flight/2100-7337_3-5597968.html) [Here’s a great picture of the plane.](http://news.com.com/Photo+Cruising+with+GlobalFlyer/2009-7337_3-5596453.html) The wings look too thin to hold anything up. I know what’s next: Round-the-world, no human pilot! Either guided from the ground or self-piloted. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/19 "2005-03-03T20:20:39Z")
Yeager and Rutan refueled. Fossett is not refuleing. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775/20 "2005-03-03T20:26:26Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > Yeager and Rutan refueled. Fossett is not refuleing. Cite? :dubious: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fossett-about-to-land/292775.md?page=2)