GlobalFlyer

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GLOBALFLYER INDUCTED INTO NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM

July 3, 2006

On June 29, 2006, the Smithsonian Institution officially welcomed its newest exhibit in the National Air and Space Museum: the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer. The record-breaking plane now is surrounded by the likes of the Wright brothers’ famous Wright Flyer, the Enola Gay, the space shuttle Enterprise and SpaceShipOne.

“Pushed to their limits, Steve Fossett and Global Flyer charted some of the few remaining frontiers of flight,” said museum director Gen. J.R. “Jack” Dailey. “We’re proud to welcome this remarkable machine into the national collection.”

Also on display is the Williams turbofan engine a key component in the success of the GlobalFlyer. The aircraft is displayed in a hanging position amid the general aviation collection in the Udvar-Hazy Center’s Boeing Aviation Hangar, while the engine is at floor level.

Fossett commented, “The mission is complete. The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer has been flown to its full capability and set some of the most important records in aviation. … Now it is time for it to take its place in aviation history alongside the great aircraft in the Smithsonian’s collection at the Udvar-Hazy Center.”

Several K-State at Salina students were in attendance at the dedication ceremony. Approximately 20 students held key leadership roles on the aircraft ground crew and in Mission Control, while more than 100 were involved as volunteers during the two flights that originated and landed in Salina. Mission Control operations also were was based on campus for the first and final around-the-world flights.

STEVE FOSSETT COMPLETES HISTORIC GLOBALFLYER ROUND THE WORLD RECORD-SETTING FLIGHT

Friday, March 17, 2006

SALINA – At 9:05 this morning, Steve Fossett guided the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer to a safe landing at Salina Municipal Airport, completing the closed-circuit distance record. The record is the third that Fossett has achieved in the experimental GlobalFlyer aircraft.

Kansas State University at Salina students worked closely with Fossett and Scaled Composites to support the world record attempt. Mission Control has been housed at K-State at Salina, and in addition to aircraft maintenance and flight operations, students also were responsible for all the Web updates and flight tracking resources available to the general public.

“This has been a tremendous new chapter in K-State’s relationship with the GlobalFlyer and Steve Fossett,” said Dennis Kuhlman, dean of K-State at Salina. “I am yet again amazed at the opportunities our students have had to be such an integral part of this project, and I am unbelievably proud of the leadership, professionalism and enthusiasm they have demonstrated from the beginning.”

It took more than 74 hours for Fossett to circumnavigate the globe.

In his celebratory comments, Fossett remarked on the involvement of K-State and said how grateful he was for the support of the students, faculty and staff of K-State at Salina. This is the third record attempt that has involved students and staff and the second that has taken place with major campus involvement. Upon his return, he also was named honorary captain of the K-State Flight Team.

FLIGHT PROGRESS UPDATE 3:27 P.M., 03.16.06

Steve crossed the equator just before 12:30 p.m. (local CST). Steve is over the Pacific Ocean and on his way towards the western coast of Mexico. The GlobalFlyer is cruising around 51,000 feet and will be over the ocean for the evening, estimated to reach Mexico around 10 a.m. (local CST).

The flight has gone smoothly. It cooled down over the equator with temperatures outside the cockpit reaching –77 ° C.

Steve’s estimated time of arrival (ETA) is Friday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (local CST). Currently, the weather forecast for tomorrow show light to moderate winds from the east.

K-State at Salina’s Brad Amstutz is still progressing well with his GlobalFlyer simulation. He has had about four hours of sleep since takeoff on Tuesday. In order to stay on track with Steve, he will probably have to backtrack, because he is currently ahead of Steve’s actual flight path.

FLIGHT PROGRESS UPDATE: 9:32 A.M., 03.16.06

Steve has been in the air for more than 48 hours and crossed the International Date Line just over an hour ago. Operations on the ground continue to go as smoothly as Mission Control might hope for.

Positioned over the Pacific Ocean, Steve is continuing south of Hawaii and is headed to cross the equator later today. Earlier this morning, Steve spoke with International Space Station Commander, Astronaut William McArthur, orbiting in the International Space Station.

He should be making landfall later today over the Baja Peninsula on the western coast of Mexico. From there, he is expected to continue in a northeastern route that will bring him to Salina and complete the closed circuit path. At this time, landing in Salina is still estimated to occur sometime in the window of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (local CST) tomorrow.

His fuel is still in good shape, and the tailwinds are turning out to be very close to what the crew had anticipated, further increasing his chances of a successful finish.

During Steve’s morning phone call with Mission Control, he continues to be in good spirits and feeling confident about his flight.

FLIGHT PROGRESS UPDATE: 10:28 A.M., 03.14.06

More than 24 hours into the flight, Steve and all of the Mission Control crew are very pleased with how smoothly things have been going.

Steve made landfall just before 9 p.m. (local CST) over the west coast of Africa. About an hour later, he reached his filed cruise altitude for 45,000 feet after an initial climb of just over 15.5 hours. He currently is leaving the Middle East and progressing toward Pakistan.

Steve continues to feel good, relying on his standard GlobalFlyer diet. This flight, he took with him 12 pounds of water, three pounds of lemon-lime Gatorade, and 24 cans of French Vanilla diet milkshakes. As with all equipment and cargo, each item that adds weight to the aircraft must be offset with additional fuel.

So far, there is no indication of any of the fuel problems that came up in the last two GlobalFlyer record attempts – fuel burn is on track. At takeoff the GlobalFlyer had 18,300 lbs of fuel on board. The Williams International F.J.44-3ATW burns 295 pounds per hour and will eventually slow fuel consumption to about 100 pounds per hour as the flight progresses.

GlobalFlyer utilizes specialized fuel: JP4 in the wing tanks and JP8 in the boom tanks. JP4 has better cold operation characteristics and it will take longer to gel. This is optimal for use in the wing tanks, as the fuel will be exposed to extremely cold temperatures at high altitude. The JP8 is used in the boom tanks and it is a highly refined fuel. JP8 was used instead of JET A because of the increased fuel density. This allowed more fuel to be placed in the boom tanks, increasing the distance the aircraft can fly.

FLIGHT PROGRESS UPDATE: 4:56 P.M., 03.14.06

Steve is on course for his latest record attempt.

Steve departed to Canadian airspace about 1:30 p.m. (local CST). Mission Control has been making position reports to ARINC (Aeronautical Radio Incorporated), a company which relays flight positions over the ocean to international air traffic controllers.

Steve headed toward the Atlantic Ocean, where he has been for most of the afternoon. He is scheduled to reach Western Sahara at 9:30 p.m. (CST) and should reach the cruising altitude of 45,000 feet just West of the African coast.

The GlobalFlyer plans on using over 16,000 pounds of fuel for this flight. According to Scaled Composites, there has not been any indication of fuel loss for this flight.

This afternoon Steve made another phone call to Mission Control and reported that the temperature was 57 degrees Fahrenheit.

Steve plans to return to Salina mid-day on Friday.

FLIGHT PROGRESS UPDATE: NOON, 03.14.06

At 6:38 a.m. (local CST) this morning, Steve launched from Salina, Kan., for the third major record attempt in the GlobalFlyer. Attempting to set the closed circuit distance record, the first few hours of the flight have been very smooth.

Takeoff went very well, although he was required to use nearly all of the 12,300 feet of available runway. Unofficially, there appeared to be approximately 1,000 feet left after liftoff, but Steve was confident and glad to get off the ground for this attempt.

The flight is projected to last nearly 80 hours, with an estimated average cruising altitude of 45,000 feet. Having progressed through the upper Midwest of the United States, Steve is traveling through Canada and on his way to cross the Atlantic.

During his flight over Newmarket, Ontario, he hit an altitude of 36,515 feet. The temperature at that altitude was -41 degrees Celsius, so he turned on supplemental electric heat to help keep him comfortable. After he leaves Canada, Steve will head south across the Atlantic, reaching land again on the western coast of Africa, at which time he is expected to complete his climb to cruising altitude.

GLOBALFLYER MISSION CONTROL TO BE BROADCAST ON TV AND ONLINE; PUBLIC VIEWING ALSO AVAILABLE ON K-STATE AT SALINA CAMPUS

Tuesday, March 13, 2006

SALINA – During the next GlobalFlyer record attempt, slated to take place this week, the public will be able to watch Mission Control activities on Salina Community Access, Cox channel 19. In addition, this video will be streamed to the official GlobalFlyer tracking Web site provided by Kansas State University at Salina.

Access to the Mission Control room also will be available to the public by visiting the College Center on the K-State at Salina campus, where Mission Control is housed. Public viewing will be permitted from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day of the flight. However, in case of emergency or other unforeseen circumstances that may arise during the flight, public access to Mission Control may be limited at any time.

While the function of Mission Control remains the same as during previous GlobalFlyer missions, the aesthetic nature of it will be much more limited than in the past. With a focus on function, it will be a much scaled-back center that features the teams of students working, along with their computers and a large projection screen tracking the flight’s progress.

The next flight will be an attempt to set the closed-course distance record and is slated to begin and end in Salina. Unlike the 2005 flight, which also took place in Salina, Virgin Atlantic will not be sending staff to Salina for the flight. For that reason, K-State students, faculty and staff will be providing the leadership and infrastructure for the operations in Mission Control, as well as handling the Web site maintenance and mission updates throughout the flight.

For more information about K-State at Salina’s role in the next GlobalFlyer attempt, or to access the Web video of Mission Control once the flight has begun, visit http://www.salina.k-state.edu/globalflyer

K-STATE STUDENTS SELECTED TO SUPPORT NEXT GLOBALFLYER MISSION

Thursday, March 9, 2006

SALINA - Kansas State University at Salina students will assume a major leadership role in the next record attempt of Steve Fossett, aviator and pilot of the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer aircraft. The GlobalFlyer completed the world's first solo flight around the world in March 2005, and set the non-stop distance record last month. K-State at Salina students and faculty were involved in both previous flights.

"It is no wonder that Steve has asked our students to be involved in this project," said Dennis Kuhlman, K-State at Salina dean. "He strives to encourage and inspire young people to work hard and achieve their
dreams, and this is a tremendous opportunity for our students to be a part of a very inspiring project."

As during the last Salina-based attempt, students were selected to support the flight planning, mission control and aircraft ground crew operations. In addition, a Web update team is being assembled and trained to assist with computer connectivity on the ground and updates to the Web site that will track the flight. It is estimated that the Web update team will eventually include more than a dozen students.

Students selected to support the next GlobalFlyer mission are:

Will Klein, senior in professional pilot and aviation maintenance, aircraft ground crew, Burrton; Justin Stuhlsatz, freshman in professional pilot, DeSoto, Web update team; Dan Kozak, sophomore in professional pilot, Lansing, mission control; Mike Newlin, sophomore in aviation maintenance, Minneapolis, aircraft ground crew; Eric Lawrence, junior in aviation maintenance, Minneola; Patrick Rinearson, senior in professional pilot, mission control co-leader, Olathe;

From Salina: James Reed, senior in aviation maintenance, aircraft ground crew; Josh Hill, sophomore in aviation maintenance, aircraft ground crew; and Cristina Thurlow, sophomore in applied business, Web update team.

Landon Truetken, junior in aviation maintenance, Selden, aircraft ground crew; Nancy Milleret, senior in professional pilot, mission control co-leader, Tonganoxie; Brian Weber, junior in professional pilot, Wichita, Web update team leader.

From out of state: Jill Hudson, senior in professional pilot, Culver, Ind., mission control.

Similar to previous record attempts in the GlobalFlyer, this flight also will require cool temperatures for takeoff and a favorable jet stream around the world. Additional information about K-State's role in the upcoming flight, as well as mission tracking information when the flight has begun, will be posted online at
http://www.salina.k-state.edu/globalflyer

K-STATE AT SALINA TAPPED FOR LEADERSHIP IN MISSION CONTROL, WEB TRACKING FOR FOSSETT’S NEXT RECORD FLIGHT ATTEMPT

Wednesday, March 8, 2006

SALINA – Kansas State University at Salina has agreed to assume a major leadership role in the next record attempt of Steve Fossett, aviator and pilot of the GlobalFlyer aircraft. The GlobalFlyer completed the world’s first solo flight around the world in March 2005, and set the non-stop distance record last month. K-State at Salina students and faculty were involved in both previous flights.

The next flight will be an attempt to set the closed-course distance record and is slated to begin and end in Salina. K-State at Salina will be planning and running Mission Control, which will again be located in the College Center building on campus. Unlike the 2005 flight, which also took place in Salina, Virgin Atlantic will not be sending staff to Salina for the flight. For that reason, K-State students, faculty and staff will be providing the leadership and infrastructure for the operations in Mission Control, as well as handling the Web updates throughout the flight.

“Steve Fossett is giving K-State at Salina a fantastic opportunity by asking us to lead the efforts on the ground to make his next record attempt successful,” said Dennis Kuhlman, K-State at Salina dean. “His experience with our students and faculty in the past 15 months have led him to the conclusion that we can provide the very best support to his efforts.”

As during the last Salina-based attempt, students will be selected to support the flight planning, mission control and aircraft ground crew operations. In addition to working with the flight and the plane, it is estimated that dozens more students will assist with computer connectivity on the ground and updates to the Web site that will track the flight.

“Besides setting a record, Steve’s desire in all his adventures is to inspire young people to achieve their dreams,” Kuhlman said. “By choosing K-State at Salina to provide the support for his next attempt, he is doing just that – giving our students a huge part to play in one of the most exciting, high-tech projects in the world today.”

As it becomes available, additional information about K-State’s role in the upcoming flight, as well as mission tracking information when the flight has begun, will be posted online at http://salina.k-state.edu/globalflyer

K-STATE AVIATION INSTRUCTOR LEADS PARTNERSHIP WITH GLOBALFLYER

Thursday, January 26, 2006

SALINA – Evan Beckman had spent many years working in aviation maintenance for Raytheon and Bombardier before accepting a faculty position at Kansas State University at Salina. His jobs had taken him and his family all over the United States and South America. But when he decided to return to his hometown to teach aviation maintenance, he couldn’t have guessed the opportunities that were waiting for him.

When the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer repositioned from the Mojave Desert to Salina in January 2005, Beckman volunteered his expertise and services to the maintenance crew and engineers from Scaled Composites, the company that designed and built the experimental aircraft. More than a year later, Beckman knows the plane very well and has been tapped to assist with the next record attempt, Ultimate Flight, when millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett will set out to fly the longest distance on record, from Florida, around the world, and back to London.

“It’s been fun,” Beckman said. “I’ve learned so much and had the chance to work with the latest technology and prototypes. You’re usually used to working with technology that’s been tested and refined for a long time. Much of the GlobalFlyer was designed for the first time for this plane, so it’s very interesting.”

Beckman has served as a liaison, of sorts, between the K-State at Salina students who were selected to assist with the GlobalFlyer maintenance, Scaled Composites and Marathon Racing, Fossett’s company. He has worked with the day-to-day duties of maintaining the plane, including preparing the aircraft for its annual condition inspection by the Federal Aviation Administration. He also assisted with modifications that were designed and put in place to address the fuel loss that put the first record-setting flight in jeopardy.

These experiences have made their way back to the classroom, Beckman said. Being the instructor who specializes in composites, the material that makes up the GlobalFlyer, he said he has been able to enrich his lectures and lab instruction by many of the things he has learned and experienced during his work with the aircraft.

He also commented that watching the selected students work on the GlobalFlyer has included watching them mature as mechanics. After all, there was one thing that made this project very different – it wasn’t just a lab plane in a teaching hangar.

“The GlobalFlyer is a flying airplane,” he said, “but it’s not just any flying airplane. It is under a very intense microscope every day because it’s so well known and is involved in such famous flights.”

Watching his students interface so closely with the Scaled Composites professionals and take on the responsibilities of working with a high-profile pilot such as Fossett has been satisfying, Beckman said.

“They’ve taken their responsibilities very seriously,” he said. “They’ve showed a lot of integrity in the past year. That’s probably what makes me the proudest.”

K-STATE STUDENTS SELECTED TO SUPPORT GLOBALFLYER MISSION

Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006

SALINA – Three Kansas State University at Salina students have been selected to support the second Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer record attempt. Next month, pilot and millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett will look to set the longest non-stop flight distance record during the GlobalFlyer Ultimate Flight, less than a year since the aircraft’s first record-setting non-stop, solo flight around the world.

Fossett asked three aviation students, all of whom assisted with the first GlobalFlyer record in 2005, to assist with the planning, maintenance and mission control operations for the Ultimate Flight.

“Having these students involved with this second record attempt is just one more opportunity that has come from our involvement with the historic project in 2005,” said Dennis Kuhlman, K-State at Salina dean. “Steve Fossett is dedicated to helping inspire young people to dream and achieve their goals, and this is demonstrated in his commitment to having our students involved once again.”

Nancy Milleret and Patrick Rinearson were selected to assist Fossett with flight planning prior to the attempt. They will also be based at mission control in England during the flight, assisting with aircraft tracking, weather reporting and air traffic control communications. James Reed was asked to provide aircraft maintenance and fueling on the GlobalFlyer in Florida prior to the launch. He also has been asked to assist with post-flight recovery and maintenance on the aircraft in England.

“I am so pleased that Steve has selected these three students to support this exciting mission,” Kuhlman said. “They proved their aviation skill and professionalism during the first GlobalFlyer project, and I am confident that, once again, each will represent our university extremely well.”

Milleret is a senior in professional pilot from Linwood; Rinearson is senior in professional pilot from Olathe; and James Reed is a senior in aviation maintenance from Salina.

For more information about the Ultimate Flight, visit http://www.globalflyer.com

COMMUNITY EVENT TO INCLUDE GLOBALFLYER VIEWING, AVIATION PIONEER DISCUSSION PANEL

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

SALINA – Aviation will be the centerpiece of a special event, Thursday, April 28, at the Salina Airport.

The public will have an opportunity to view the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer and to hear a special presentation, "Dreamers and Achievers, A Panel of Black Aviation Pioneers." Events are free and open to the public; cameras and other recording devices will be permitted.

“We are thrilled that Steve Fossett has agreed to allow K-State, the Airport Authority and the Chamber of Commerce to have a public viewing of his amazing aircraft,” said Dennis Kuhlman, dean of K-State at Salina. “And starting the day with the distinguished panel of aviation pioneers will add an exciting historical element to the entire event.”

The Dreamers and Achievers panel will feature six prominent aviation professionals discussing the past, present and future of minorities in the aviation industry. Public seating for the panel discussion will begin at 9:30 a.m. that day, with the program beginning at 10 a.m. Guests should allow at least 20 minutes for seating after arriving at the airport. Public viewing of the GlobalFlyer will begin at 11:30 a.m. and will continue until 7 p.m. that evening.

Panel guests will be retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Lee Archer, a former Tuskegee Airman and World War II ace; retired Kansas Civil Air Patrol Col. George Mills Boyd, former commander with the Civil Air Patrol who also trained with the Tuskegee Airmen; retired Kansas Rep. U.L. “Rip” Gooch, a pilot in the Black Aviators Hall of Fame; John Hightower, an air traffic controller with the Federal Aviation Administration and founder and executive director of the Aviation Youth Academy; Tahira Lamont Brown, second officer with Federal Express; and Clovis Jones, Jr., a Federal Express captain.

Also taking place during this time will be the national Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference – SAFECON. K-State at Salina is host for the 2005 national competition, which will bring in approximately 30 of the nation's top collegiate flight teams. Limited viewing of the competition will be available on the 28th for those waiting to see the GlobalFlyer.

All events will take place on the Salina Airport, with public parking adjacent to Hangar 509. Guests should enter the airfield through the perimeter gate north of the hangar and will be directed to the Dreamers and Achievers panel and GlobalFlyer viewing from there.

STEVE FOSSETT COMPLETES HISTORIC GLOBALFLYER ROUND THE WORLD RECORD-SETTING FLIGHT

March 3, 2005

SALINA – At 1:52 p.m. Thursday, Steve Fossett guided the Virgin Atlantic
GlobalFlyer to a safe landing at Salina Municipal Airport.

Kansas State University at Salina students worked closely with Virgin
Atlantic staff and with the Scaled Composites crew to support the world
record attempt. Mission Control has been housed at Kansas State
University at Salina since December.

When Fossett landed the GlobalFlyer, cheers erupted in Mission Control
to celebrate the conclusion of a successful world record attempt.

Fossett traversed the world in 67 hours and one minute.

"We are so excited about Steve's tremendous success and that K-State
has had this opportunity to work with the GlobalFlyer project and
team," said Dennis Kuhlman, dean of K-State at Salina. "I am simply
amazed at the opportunities our students have had to work so closely
with the experts of Virgin Atlantic and Scaled Composites. The
students' contributions to this project and their work on behalf of
K-State are something that I take very great pride in."

In his celebratory remarks, Fossett remarked on the involvement of
K-State and said how grateful he was for the support of the students,
both in Mission Control and with the Scaled Composites ground crew.

K-STATE FACULTY, SCALED COMPOSITES, PARTNER TO SUPPORT GLOBALFLYER MISSION

January 21, 2005

SALINA – Necessity is the mother of invention. And the need to modify some parts for the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer meant just that – invention – along with a unique collaboration with Kansas State University at Salina.

After the Jan. 6 repositioning of the experimental aircraft from California to Salina, a few changes needed to be made. Following the flight, a crew from Scaled Composites, the California company that designed and manufactured the GlobalFlyer, found a handful of problems that needed to be addressed.

That’s when K-State came in. Aviation maintenance students working alongside the Scaled Composites crew suggested that there may just be an engineering technology lab on campus where some of the needed parts could be made or modified.

Gail Simmonds, interim head of the K-State at Salina engineering technology department, said members of the Scaled Composites crew worked with campus faculty and students to modify and re-machine special parts for the aircraft. One of the parts that needed attention was a stainless steel heat exchanger.

“It was a new part,” Simmonds said, “because the old one had a weld break. So the Scaled crew had to do measurements and build new custom fittings to match the connections to the GlobalFlyer. Then we worked together with their crew to make it happen.”

Philip Grassa, crew chief of the airplane and an airframe and powerplant mechanic with Scaled Composites, said that working with K-State at Salina has contributed to the success of the final preparations being made to the aircraft, in anticipation of an early February record attempt.

“Being so close to the campus has benefited us tremendously,” Grassa said. “If we were just in a hangar on an airfield, we would have to figure a lot of things out ourselves. But working with the K-State students, they can point us to instructors or local resources to get the job done.”

K-STATE STUDENTS SELECTED TO SUPPORT GLOBALFLYER MISSION

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004

SALINA – Twelve Kansas State University at Salina students have been selected to support the mission control and aircraft ground operations for the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer world record attempt flight. The project, coordinated by Virgin Atlantic Airways and CEO Richard Branson, will attempt a solo, non-stop flight around the world in early January. The plane is scheduled to launch and land in Salina, and mission control operations will be housed on the K-State at Salina campus.

“One of the most exciting things for K-State is the opportunity to involve our students,” said Dennis Kuhlman, K-State at Salina dean. “Steve Fossett has requested that our students be involved, and I’m so excited that they will get such a unique hands-on experience at an international event.”

Two flight students and two alternates were selected to participate in mission control operations, including aircraft tracking, weather reporting and air traffic control communications. Six aviation maintenance students and two alternates were selected to do ground work with the aircraft prior to the mission.

“These twelve students are among the finest that K-State at Salina has,” Kuhlman said. “They are very knowledgeable in their respective areas of aviation, and I am confident that each will represent our university extremely well.”

Students selected to support the GlobalFlyer mission are:

Seth Short, senior in professional pilot, mission control, and Will Klein, senior in professional pilot and aviation maintenance, maintenance team, both of Burrton; Monica Chester, senior in professional pilot, Glade, mission control alternate; Nancy Milleret, junior in professional pilot, Linwood, mission control; Michael Blankenship, freshman in aviation maintenance, Manhattan, maintenance crew alternate; Patrick Rinearson, junior in professional pilot, Olathe, mission control alternate.

From Salina: Josh Hill, freshman in aviation maintenance, maintenance team alternate; James Reed, senior in aviation maintenance, maintenance team; Mike Paul, freshman in aviation maintenance, maintenance team; Aaron Grunden, senior in aviation maintenance, maintenance team.

Landon Truetken, freshman in aviation maintenance, Selden, maintenance team. From out of state, Andy Andoga, senior in aviation maintenance, Highland Village, Texas, maintenance team.

GLOBALFLYER’S MISSION CONTROL OPERATIONS TO BE HOUSED AT K-STATE AT SALINA

December 1, 2004

SALINA – The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer project, attempting a solo flight around the world, will base its mission control operations on the campus of Kansas State University at Salina, Virgin Atlantic announced Wednesday. The project, coordinated by Virgin Atlantic Airways and CEO Richard Branson, will attempt the world-record flight from Salina in early January.

Piloting the aircraft will be Steve Fossett, an Australian well known for his attempts at world records, including an around-the-world balloon trip in 2002. The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer will be a solo, non-refueled flight crossing 23,000 miles before returning to Salina. It is estimated the flight will be completed in 80 hours or less.

“I cannot express how excited we are to host the GlobalFlyer project in the community of Salina, not to mention having mission control on our campus,” said Dennis Kuhlman, K-State at Salina dean. “And to be able to share the hands-on experience with K-State students makes this an unforgettable opportunity.”

Salina was chosen from a long list of possible host sites, most of which were larger or better-known locations, Kuhlman said. It was a combination of factors that made Salina the best option, he said, including the knowledgeable aerospace community at K-State and throughout the area.

K-State at Salina student volunteers have been requested to help with mission control and other aviation operations, as well as hospitality and media relations during the mission. Mission control will include aircraft tracking, weather reporting and air traffic control communications and is scheduled to take place in the College Center on campus. In addition to the project team, it is expected that the event will draw as many as 200 reporters from around the world.

The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer aircraft was designed by Burt Rutan, renowned winner of the recently awarded X-Prize, which recognized the first manned civilian aircraft flown into space. The plane has been specially created for aerodynamics, but also to accommodate the immense amount of fuel needed for the non-stop flight. With thirteen fuel tanks in all, it is expected that fuel will account for 83 percent of the plane’s takeoff weight.