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
The first solo nonstop is a grand endeavor,
It's something I've wanted to do for a long time.
I want to make this the longest flight by any type of aircraft.
I'm not confident of success because of what I'm trying to do ... We calculate that I will be able to complete the flight and have a success, but it will be very close.
I'm feeling good, healthy, but with the usual concern,
I'm hopeful that this is all going to work out,
I started mountain climbing with the troop in Southern California when I was 12. I thought I'd do it indefinitely, but then I found other challenges.
Takeoff was a bit scary, to say the least. I had to use most of the runway to get off the ground. This was particularly hairy, as I couldn't have aborted even if I had wanted to.
Takeoff was a bit scary, to say the least.
So far, I've been able to control descents and climbs to 500 feet per minute. Autopilot cannot keep up. Parachute is on in case of envelope rupture.
So far, I've been able to control descents and climbs to 500 feet per minute, ... Autopilot cannot keep up. Parachute is on in case of envelope rupture.
It will be very close. I'm stretching the limits of the airplane.
Currently, I would say the chances are no more than 50-50. It would be devastating to have to ditch the ultimate distance record when I am in the home straight.
We were dragged for at least a couple of miles and probably bounced 50 times before the balloon settled down enough so we could get outside the capsule and jump into the water,