Solo Record Plane Set For Launch

[holmec]

The only report I heard here in St. Louis, is on the radio, not TV. What a shame. <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[teije]

Every news bulletin I saw yesterday had coverage of globalflyer. And I live in the Netherlands. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />Prolly nothing tonight, but I expect they'll cover the landing too.<br /><br />Teije

 

[zavvy]

Hi sloracer... here's something from the BBC...<br /><br /><b>Fossett plane bid in fuel worry</b><br /><br />LINK<br /><br />Steve Fossett's attempt to fly solo, non-stop around the globe without re-fuelling is in trouble. <br /><br />His GlobalFlyer plane has reached China - half way around the world - but he has insufficient fuel to get him home to Kansas without favourable winds. <br /><br />Mission controllers will have to decide whether to call off the attempt before Fossett heads out over the Pacific. <br /><br />The adventurer left the US on Tuesday at 0500 GMT and was expected to return to the Salina airport on Thursday. <br /><br />"I don't have a high level of confidence at the moment," Steve Fossett said from GlobalFlyer. <br /><br />"This is a huge setback. Immediately I started thinking about what the alternatives were - whether a route could be taken through Mexico, and I began to think how far I could fly with the engine out [just gliding] just to make the landing." <br /><br />There are different ways of calculating the fuel load on GlobalFlyer and these suggest the aircraft is missing some 1,200kg (2,600lbs) of fuel. <br /><br />Mission controllers are at a loss to explain the situation - whether the plane was incorrectly filled on the runway or it burnt off too much fuel in the early stages of the flight. <br /><br />But it means Fossett has 15% less fuel than he thought, and he will now struggle to complete the mission without good tail winds over the next day. <br /><br />Fossett reached the half-way point in his flight at 0705 GMT on Wednesday. <br /><br />As of 1440 GMT, just after briefing the media on his fuel worries, he was moving out over the East China Sea, just east of Shanghai, travelling at an altitude 13.7km (45,100ft) and a speed of 618km/h (384mph). <br /><br />Mission controllers may decide to bring Fossett down in Japan or Hawaii rather than risk sending him right across the Pa

 

[zavvy]

<font color="yellow">"Naked News" is covering the flight.</font><br /><br />The 'Boob Tube'?

 

[redgryphon]

Interesting. There's nothing about this on the globalflyer website yet. He's passed over the island of Kyushu in Japan and is now just south of Shikoku island. No sign of him descending yet. Looks like they are at least putting off a decision until Hawaii.

 

[redgryphon]

The BBC article now says:<br /><br /><font color="yellow">There are two ways of calculating the fuel load on GlobalFlyer - fuel burn sensors and fuel probes in the tanks. The latter show the vehicle is missing 1,200kg (2,600lbs) of fuel. <br /><br />Mission controllers are at a loss to explain the discrepancy - whether the plane was incorrectly filled on the runway or it burnt off too much fuel in the early stages of the flight - but they say they have to work on the basis that the probes' (lower) measurement is correct. </font><br /><br />If they can somehow get confirmation that the fuel probes are wrong and the fuel burn sensors are right then they should be OK. I've no idea how they could do that, though.<br /><br />Interesting that Fossett mentioned gliding. Since the Flyer needs parachutes in order to descend at a practical rate, just how far could it glide with the engine out?

 

[redgryphon]

There is now an update on the site about the fuel issue. <br /><br /><br /><font color="yellow">Mission Control have released a statement this morning regarding a loss of fuel in the early hours of Steve Fossett’s flight, which could lead to the attempt being abandoned.<br /><br />There was a discrepancy of 2,600 pounds in readings between the fuel burn and a series of probes in the main beams of the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer in the first three and a half hours of the flight.<br /><br />During last night, Mission Control carried out various tests, but still know little as to why and how the problem occurred. Early flight fuel readings have been concluded to be ’not accurate’, and the lower reading of the amount of fuel onboard is the one that has been taken into account by the team for safety reasons. <br /><br />Jon Karkow from Scaled Composites was unable to say whether it was due to leakage or evaporation. "We really don’t know what it is... It's more than likely a system issue, such as a fuel venting line. It's been very puzzling for us, and we saw it quite early on."<br /><br />An amount of fuel was predicted to be lost due to evaporation, but as the aircraft's tanks had not been tested at full capacity, Mission Control were unable to predict the exact amount that would be lost. They do, however, know that the amount that has been lost is unusual and is more than it should be.<br /><br />There have been no further fuel discrepancies since the beginning of the flight, which is better than it happening at the end. Project Manager Paul Moore said Steve has "insufficient fuel to make it without a certain level of tailwinds. So Steve is now literally at the mercy of the winds".<br /><br />The average tailwind speed needed for Steve to successfully complete the round the world circuit is 58knots and so far they are relatively hopeful as the winds have been around this speed.<br /><br />When</font>

 

[spacester]

Fuel Tank gauges have proven to be surprisingly difficult to design for high accuracy and high precision. This has gone on for decades. Somebody figures out a better way, and then sure enough it doesn't quite work correctly either. It one of those design problems that seems easy but always proves to be vexing. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[claywoman]

Well, I hope either he makes it after going so far, or possiblity of it being a gauge problem, they land him in Hawaii or at least stateside....I'm just sick about his missing the goal...

 

[redgryphon]

They are holding a press conference now, but I can't get any audio on the video stream.

 

[Leovinus]

Since the Pacific is the most dangerous crossing and when he might run out of fuel, I suggest that it would have been better to launch from Japan and do the ocean first. That way, if he runs out of gas he does so over Asia and not over water. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[redgryphon]

This MSNBC article confirms Globalflyer is heading for Hawaii, and they will re-evaluate there whether to head for the mainland.<br /><br />Some key quotes:<br /><br /><font color="yellow">The current plan calls for Fossett to keep heading eastward over the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. In the meantime, fuel will be shifted from the outermost tanks to the plane's central tanks. Once Fossett reaches Hawaii, he'll decide whether to land there or continue on to the U.S. mainland, based on the updated assessments of fuel supplies and wind conditions, Moore said.<br /><br />During an afternoon news briefing, Fossett told journalists he was "feeling a lot better" about his chances than he was in the morning. He also said his physical condition was good, although he felt "very much sleep-deprived."<br /><br />Moore estimated that Fossett would reach Hawaii at about 9:40 p.m. ET. As of 2:30 p.m. ET, the GlobalFlyer was estimated to have about 4,500 pounds (2,050 kilograms) of fuel left — about 15 percent less than the estimated requirement for completing the round-the-world journey.<br /><br />Fossett, 60, still might be able to finish the flight on his original path, if a tail wind in the jet stream remains strong enough to push him across the Pacific. </font>/safety_wrapper>

 

[davf]

I've found both the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail websites posted information about the fuel leak sooner than the Globalflyer website. <br /><br />I hope he makes the attempt to hit the west coast. Afterall, there seems to be some discrepency in the fuel readings and the number they are quoting are worst case. The big question is, did Sir Richard's watch (loaned to Fossett before leaving) jinx the endeavour? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[davf]

Yes, but are they starting out in flight attendent's uniforms? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[redgryphon]

CNN did have a live feed of the 2:30 pm EST press conference on their website, but it was part of their pay service, which I don't subscribe to.

 

[redgryphon]

Fossett passing through the 48 hr mark, now 895 nautical miles northwest of Honolulu. Groundspeed down to 305 knots. <br /><br />Edit: new update to the globalflyer website. The attempt still in the balance with tailwinds from Hawaii the key. The next stop after Honolulu is Catalina Island, another 2610 miles on. Another tidbit: the Globalflyer can go 200 miles just gliding<br />

 

[davf]

I haven't been able to find any winds aloft data off the continent. I'm half inclinded to fire up flight sim and head up to his position and find out (it logs in and downloads winds aloft data from the Jeppeson database). <br /><br />He sure isn't giving up without a fight... his flightpath is still tracking well north of Hawaii rather than heading directly for it. I wonder what his best glide speed is?

 

[redgryphon]

From the GF site:<br /><br />"The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer is still pressing on. Steve is 49 hours and 8 minutes into his solo, non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world, flying at FL452 and flying at 262 knots. He is now 780 Nautical Milesnorthwest of Hawaii. <b>The crucial decision of whether or not to proceed is nearing, will be made within the next one and a half hours. </b>"<br /><br />

 

[davf]

"Catalina that Cessnas crash on at night. " <br /><br />THIS cracked me up... <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br />I haven't done much flying over the Pacific in flight sim... normally it does a pretty good job over land and the north Atlantic. It was only reporting over HNL and it had 269@90 at FL460. I couldn't get any information on winds otherwise so no idea what faces him east of Hawaii. Again, that is only 'flightsim' accurate.<br /><br />He's pretty well due north of HNL now and still headed east... of course, Hilo is his last Hawaii option... but he's going to have to make a decision soon if he hasn't already. <br /><br />Any idea what the sea state and low level forecast is between Hawaii and California?<br />

 

[davf]

Hey, I found another section at the Virgin Atlantic Globalflyer website which has a Globalflyer for FS2002 and FS2004 that you can download and try out. Thought I'd post it here for any other FS flyers.<br /><br />http://www.theheavenlyhangar.com/READMORE/GLOBFLYER/index.htm

 

[redgryphon]

Press briefing in progress. MSNBC is reporting that Fossett has decided to press on. No new details yet. <br /><br />The team is turning around towards the big screen in mission control. Probably listening to Fossett.

 

[davf]

Good call news! <br /><br />red: thanks for the update... I have to get to sleep now... barely. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> I can't wait to get back up again and hear how he's doing.

 

[redgryphon]

Ticker reports tailwinds stronger than expected! Aiming for Salina on Thursday! <br /><br />Here are the details from MSNBC:<br /><br />"SALINA, Kan. - Shrugging of a mysterious fuel-system problem, millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett decided late Wednesday to risk the long crossing across the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland in pursuit of history.<br /><br />"Let's go for it," he told the GlobalFlyer mission control in Salina, according to project director Paul Moore. <br /><br />Moore said Fossett was encouraged by strong tailwinds and the results of a shifting of fuel from the plane's outermost tanks to its central ones. Fossett is attempting to become the first person to fly solo around the world without refueling.<br /><br />Fossett has already accomplished one of his goals -- breaking the record for the longest nonstop, unrefueled flight by a jet. That particular record — 12,532 miles (20,168 kilometers) — was set by a B-52 bomber in 1962. Moore told Fossett late Wednesday that he had traveled 14,358 miles.<br /><br />As of 11 p.m. ET, Fossett was several hundred miles north of Honolulu with about 3,200 pounds of fuel confirmed left. "

 

[liquidspace2k]

if he does make it all the way to Kansas, does anyone know what time he is going to land<br /><br />he is probably clapping his feet together, saying there is no place like home, there is no place like home...<br />

 

[redgryphon]

At the moment he's headed for somewhere south of the Gulf of California. I wonder where he'll cross the coast?<br /><br />Time for sleep for me too.