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Fossett makes history
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%BPV:GQ&cbbs.gter.netFlying from horizon to horizon, Steve Fossett completed the first nonstop, flight 'round-the-world without refueling on Thursday afternoon, landing gracefully in Kansas at 2:49 pm ET. |留学|签证|TOEFL|GREt(b/l`:a
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"It's something I've wanted to do for a long time," Fossett said as he stepped out of the plane, his legs wobbly after nearly three days in the cockpit. "It has been a major ambition of mine."
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The sometimes tense journey across three oceans and dozens of countries began in Salina, Kansas, on Monday evening. The 25,000-mile (40,234 kilometer) voyage took 67 hours and two minutes. It was financed by Fossett's longtime friend and investor, Richard Branson, who heads Virgin Atlantic Airways.
eE$G(R8b(iV8O留学,考试,TOEFL,GRE,GMAT,IELTS,SAT,VISA,文书,签证,论坛,出国,申请,美国,英国,欧洲,加拿大,USA
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b*Q-EN留学,考试,TOEFL,GRE,GMAT,IELTS,SAT,VISA,文书,签证,论坛,出国,申请,美国,英国,欧洲,加拿大,USAAs GlobalFlyer approached the airport, Fossett deployed small parachutes to slow the craft down. |留学|签证|TOEFL|GRE8Nf
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PJ!Vbbs.gter.netAfter touching down smoothly, Fossett taxied the plane toward a hangar and Branson waved a black-and-white checkered flag as the jet came to a stop. Fossett's flight team opened a bottle of champagne onto the runway.
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"[m'n2yG*R-B4LJbbs.gter.netGlobalFlyer was built by Scaled Composites, the same firm that designed and launched the world's first civilian manned spacecraft, SpaceShipOne, last year.
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1A@4wP;NoRd/?寄托家园Burt Rutan, aerospace engineer and head of Scaled Composites, said the plane, and the pilot, performed admirably.
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Despite the successful homecoming, the GlobalFlyer encountered dark moments during its flight. 留学,考试,TOEFL,GRE,GMAT,IELTS,SAT,VISA,文书,签证,论坛,出国,申请,美国,英国,欧洲,加拿大,USA1m
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At one point, controllers thought the plane would run out of fuel far short of its target. Fossett and the GlobalFlyer team considered abandoning the trip when they were over Hawaii on Wednesday because the experimental plane came up about 2,600 pounds of fuel short after taking off. The jet burns 102 pounds of fuel per hour. The team speculated that fuel was vented from four tanks shortly after takeoff. L0F;{ VM
7AM9q2}}g0^寄托家园Fossett decided to press on because of favorable tail winds. q$_.J(qh
zb?H+P*N*Hq留学,考试,TOEFL,GRE,GMAT,IELTS,SAT,VISA,文书,签证,论坛,出国,申请,美国,英国,欧洲,加拿大,USA"If I have engine trouble, there will be no trouble with gliding," Fossett had said earlier in the day before landing. 寄托家园z_&X%wJ2y }L
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When more data arrived from the aircraft, projections showed the fuel would propel the aircraft throughout its entire 25,000-mile trip.
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