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GlobalFlyer 'Round The World Solo Flight Takes Off

Posted by timothy on from the bon-voyage-and-good-luck dept.

bryanthompson writes "The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer took off from the Salina Municipal Airport this evening at about 6:47 CST. The Salina Airport was chosen for its central location, and the fact that it is one of the few air strips long enough for the flyer to take off successfully. The trip around the world is expected to take about 80 hours, with speeds averaging 285 mph. The craft was designed for Sir Richard Branson by Burt Rutan of Scaled Composites, who also designed SpaceShipOne." Steve Fossett is piloting the craft, intended (as reader aallan puts it), "to be the first solo non-stop flight around the world without refuelling."

2 of 280 comments (clear)

  1. sleepy? by tiredwired · · Score: 5, Funny

    Anyone know how you can stay up for 80hours straight and still land a plane? I'm not talking about Viagra.

  2. Ok let me get this straight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    They spent all kinds of money to design and build a machine that would consume fuel for 80 hours and then be where it started from.

    I propose that a more cost effective device. It would be made of baked clay. This rectangular object could be placed at any location. Not just on a runway. 80 hours later we could verify that it was it was still there.