He's Off

Fuel Leak Fixed, Fossett Embarks On Ultimate Flight

February 8 , 2006 — At 7:22:09 local time, EAAer and world record holder Steve Fossett took off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer to start the “Ultimate Flight” around the world…and then some. Late Tuesday afternoon, Fossett and his team determined that the fuel leak that had delayed launch that morning was fixed, and worldwide wind patterns were acceptable for launch. More encouraging news: The most recent route projections show that Fossett will be able to fly closer to the best available jet streams, enhancing his chances to complete the expected 80-hour, 26,000-mile flight.