Fossett, Fossett, Fossett, .... is he really that great?

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message ...

it doesn't seem like it would have been that much of a challenge. That the real challenge was the design. Let's hear
it for Burt Rutan!!

Bob

Actually, lets hear it for Rutan's design team!

In a previous article, Bob Engelhardt said:
I don't get it: Burt Rutan designed and built the GlobalFlyer and
Branson financed it - why is Fosset getting all the attention and why
was he the pilot? Is he really that great of a pilot? It seems that

If they'd miscalculated the fuel, who would have been sitting in the ocean
fighting off sharks until the rescue helicopter arrived, Fossett, Rutan or
Branson?

I'm not saying that this record is as important as Charles Lindberg's NYP
flight, but they used to dance the Lindie hop, not the Ryan hop.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
"The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the
instruments of tyranny at home." - James Madison

I'm not saying that this record is as important as Charles
Lindberg's NYP flight, but they used to dance the Lindie hop,
not the Ryan hop.

Yep. And even stranger, Lindbergh was praised even though he was what,
about the 100th person to cross the Atlantic by plane? But he was the
first solo, just as Fossett was the first to solo round the world.

Some people must be getting jaded with technology, not to at least
celebrate his daring. Or perhaps some people will just never get the
concept of adventure. A few have even said, "Well, that's just like
climbing Everest, what's the point?" Heck, perhaps our genetic
ancestors should've never climbed out of the water and slime :-)

I say, thank goodness there are still adventures to be had, new places
to go, and a few willing to do it !

Cheers, Kev

Linberg didn't design his airplane but he got all the credit.

That guy Neil Armstrong seems to have got a bit of undeserved credit too, by
this line of thinking.

Come on guys - sure - many pilots could have done it - but he DID do it. I
take my "hat" off to him.

On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 11:18:16 -0500, Bob Engelhardt
wrote:

Let's hear it for Burt Rutan!!

Well, we have heard it for Rutan. At least people have heard it from
me!

And for Sir Richard Branson, who not only put up the money but turned
up at the celebration in bluejeans. You just can't help admiring a
knight who wears jeans.

But Fossett was the guy in the plane, and he was the guy who would
have had to swim if the plane ditched. No doubt he's a rich
thrill-seeker / publicity-seeker. Nevertheless he did it, so let's
hear it for him as well.


-- all the best, Dan Ford

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On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 11:41:01 -0600, Chris W wrote:

Second hasn't this
been done before

No, not solo. The other plane to accomplish it was also designed and
built by Burt Rutan, and flown by his brother and the brother's
girlfriend, so the pilots could get some sleep. Also it had two recip
engines, a clever idea but not as impressive as building a jet that
could do the job. I want to know more about that jet!


-- all the best, Dan Ford

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Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
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the blog: www.danford.net

On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 18:05:57 GMT, "Casey Wilson" N2310D @ gmail.com
wrote:

Rutan pointed out the not-too-long-ago
solo trip around the world by a woman in a sailboat.

Ellen McArthur, if I spell it correctly.

She just did it again, breaking the round-the-world record for a
keelboat solo. Likely she will be on the New Year's Honours List: Dame
Ellen!

Not bad for a young woman who used to hang around the Southampton
docks, begging sailors to take her out on their boats so she could
learn how to sail.

When McArthur made her first solo around the world, my daughter and
her now-husband met her at Cape Horn to put supplies aboard her boat.
It was designed by Merfyn Owen, and I think the new one was at well.



-- all the best, Dan Ford

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Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
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the blog: www.danford.net

On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 19:19:49 GMT, kontiki
wrote:

Same could be said for Howard Hughs's around the world flight

I thought Hughes's flight was called off on account of World War II? I
gave away my copy of George Marrett's book or I'd look it up.

Good yarn! www.warbirdforum.com/aviator.htm



-- all the best, Dan Ford

email (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net

Several flights were made across the Atlantic prior to Lindburg.

Lucky Lindy was first to fly solo and everyone remembers his name but
no one remembers the names of prior fliers.

Will history be repeated?

Big John
```````````````````````````````````````````


On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 11:41:01 -0600, Chris W wrote:

Bob Engelhardt wrote:

I don't get it: Burt Rutan designed and built the GlobalFlyer and
Branson financed it - why is Fosset getting all the attention and why
was he the pilot? Is he really that great of a pilot? It seems that
his real fame is as "adventurer". Maybe what he brought to the
project was his name and fame.


I have been wondering what the big deal about this flight is from the
beginning. First flying around the world non stop doesn't sound like
much of an adventure to me, it sounds pretty boring. Second hasn't this
been done before and aren't there several planes in existence that, if
filled with fuel instead of people and or cargo, could fly non stop
around the world? Third, what's the point? If you can fly half way
around the world, you can get from anywhere to anywhere.

"Kev" wrote in message ups.com...
I'm not saying that this record is as important as Charles
Lindberg's NYP flight, but they used to dance the Lindie hop,
not the Ryan hop.

Yep. And even stranger, Lindbergh was praised even though he was what,
about the 100th person to cross the Atlantic by plane? But he was the
first solo, just as Fossett was the first to solo round the world.

snip

Cheers, Kev


Lindbergh was praised because he won the prize, he satisfied the parameters, he flew non-stop New York to Paris. None of
the other crossings could go that far. Just because he did it solo was icing on the cake, but it was not part of the
prize specification.