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GlobalFlyer 'Round The World Solo Flight Takes Off
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."
I hope they have a few air strips along the way that are long enough for the flyer to land successfully - you know, in case of emergency.
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I wonder why he has to - the plane has an autopilot, but the plan is to only sleep for a few minutes at a time.
Considering that he'll have a chase plane beside him some of the time, you'd think he could just stick it on autopilot for a few hours nap, and people in the chase plane will yell over the radio to wake him up if anything goes amiss.
But maybe that's stretching the definition of "solo flight".
err, well... I sortof have to take credit for the original mistake. my t key sticks sometimes. *whoops*
It got accepted, and I read through it again, then emailed the editor on duty (daddypants) before it went out to you non-subscribers... I hoped it'd be fixed in time.
Honestly, not trying to flame but this is not as hard as most people think and has obviously been taken into cosideration before they take off. i'm not saying its a doddle but the normal military thing is 2 on 2 off and you can go for a surprisingly long time.
Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
What truth?
There is no dupe
Ahh Branson's my hero ... one of the few mega rich types where you see him spending money on and doing things we all wish to do but can't afford all the while enjoying himself ... rather than most of the other mega rich types who you see do sod all with their money and then die.
Yeah, let's celebrate the spurious frittering away of wealth by the rich! Hooray for Mr. Branson for funding a school-boy dream project that will help his recently announced space-tourism company. Hooray for Steve Forbes for his ridiculous megalomaniacal presidential runs. ( I mean, who hasn't wanted to be president?) And Kudos to The Trump for walking away from bankruptcy with a cool $2 million a year at the expense of investors. Paris Hilton take note - you are a star every time you drop an absurd amount on... well whatever Paris Hilton spends her money on.
i ll Gates and George Soros. What fun is there in championing human kidness and decency, public health and global economic fairness?
Really, all these folks are much better than those dull philanthropic types like Oprah , Bill Gates href=http://www.gatesfoundation.org/default.htm>B
This world is full of people looking to satisfy their own ego-centric desires. Some have the moolah to fulfill the big ones, and some of them are more fun, but it is merely a question of scale. Branson is little better than the tight-fisted Krocs or Waltons. The really amazing people are the ones who use their wealth to do something to raise up their fellow humans.
I'm sure astronauts do that all the time
You are so boring that when I see you my feet go to sleep.