Steve Fossett
Steve Fossett
James Stephen "Steve" Fossettwas an American businessman and a record-setting aviator, sailor, and adventurer. He was the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon. He made his fortune in the financial services industry and was best known for many world records, including five nonstop circumnavigations of the Earth: as a long-distance solo balloonist, as a sailor, and as a solo flight fixed-wing aircraft pilot...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionAviator
Date of Birth22 April 1944
CountryUnited States of America
In the middle of the night we decided it was a hopeless situation, ... We decided to fly as close as we could to Hawaii to make it an easy rescue.
In the middle of the night we decided it was a hopeless situation,
The fuel leak is fixed and we believe the worldwide wind pattern is acceptable. I hope to be flying in the morning.
The first solo nonstop is a grand endeavor,
The damage sustained to the wing last week could have been a real setback for 'The Ultimate Flight' record attempt. The repair was a job for experts, and thankfully, we have the best working on this project.
The good thing about flying solo is it's never boring.
This is a Solo Flight, but I want aviation enthusiasts and adventurers everywhere to join me in the endeavour.
Boy Scouts does very well in making Scouts aware of character and integrity and … virtues and incorporate [them] in their lives so that they carry themselves as [those] kind of [people] for the rest of their [lives].
I was never comfortable with the risk of climbing in the Himalayas, or the amount of time in idleness that is involved in the Everest expedition.
I pick projects according to how fascinating they are to me, and it has resulted in a broad reach. My records are actually in five different sports: balloons, airplanes, airships, gliders, and sailboats.
I do have some books, but in all the distance flights I've made I've never opened the books. I've been too busy.
A hot air balloon requires a great deal of fuel to keep it aloft, so that you can't fly it even for one day. A gas balloon, which usually uses helium, has the problem that the helium cools at night when the sun is not on it, and you have to throw ballast overboard to keep it from going to the surface.
Flying solo, you have a fair workload. I'm not only flying the balloon but doing the navigation, communications, repairing the burners, taking care of the equipment.
Mountain climbing was my original sport ... and I've never tired from the satisfaction of getting to the top of a mountain.