Post by Taxigirl on Oct 23, 2003 9:34:31 GMT
Sir Richard Branson and Steve Fossett are announcing the launch of the first solo-piloted aircraft to fly non-stop round the world without refuelling.
GlobalFlyer, as it is known, will be piloted by Fossett - Branson's partner in his global balloon attempt.
A plane called Voyager, which carried two pilots, completed the challenge for the first time in 1986.
GlobalFlyer, which is due to take off next year, is designed by Burt Rutan, who also created Voyager.
Sleek and slim
The GlobalFlyer, which has not been completed yet, will be a sleek and slim, if slightly odd-looking aircraft. It will be extremely fuel efficient, burning less fuel per kilometre than a Mini Cooper.
The aircraft, code named Model 311, is being built in the US Mojave Desert by Scaled Composites. It will be made entirely from advanced materials and will be ultra light.
GlobalFlyer will fly at 45,000 feet (13,700 metres) and travel 40,000 kilometres at speeds in excess of 250 knots (285 mph, 440 km/h).
Burt Rutan will draw on his experience as the designer of Voyager to mould the single-engined aircraft specifically for non-stop global circumnavigation.
The Voyager was piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager.
It followed a route determined by weather and geography - flying an official distance of 40,211 km (24,986 miles) in 216 hours.
One pilot in the cockpit of the Voyager navigated, maintained ground communication and transferred fuel to balance the plane, while the other pilot rested.
Steve Fossett will have the extra challenge of doing it all alone.
Future aviation
The announcement of the GlobalFlyer challenge comes one day ahead of Concorde's last flight, indicating Branson's interest in the future of aviation, the Virgin company says.
Branson has tried unsuccessfully to persuade the UK Government to let him continue flying Concorde under the Virgin flag for several more years.
The manufacturers of the GlobalFlyer plane and its engine are using new data, which they say will improve future aircraft efficiency and will help develop a new generation of more economic commercial aircraft.
Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites company is also testing a reusable space place which many commentators fully expect to win the famous X-Prize.
The $10m prize will go to the team behind the first successful non-governmental manned space mission.