ZetaTalk: Steve Fossett
written October 12, 2007 on the GodlikeProduction live chat.

Steve Fossett [Sep 3] http://www.stevefossett.com/ At 8:45 am, on Monday, September 3, 2007, Fossett took off in a single-engine Bellanca Super Decathlon airplane from a private airstrip known as Flying-M Ranch ( 38°N, 119°W), near Carson City and the California border. The airfield is owned by Barron Hilton. There has been no signal from the plane's emergency locator transmitter (ELT), designed to be automatically activated in the event of a crash, but of an older type notorious for failing to operate after a crash. It was at first thought that Fossett may have also been wearing a Swiss-made Breitling Emergency watch with a manually operated ELT having a range of up to 90 miles, but no signal was received from it. He did own such a watch, but was not wearing it when he took off for the Labor Day flight. Fossett apparently did not file a flight plan, but was not required to do so. As of September 10, search crews had found eight previously uncharted crash sites, some decades old, but none related to Fossett's disappearance. On September 7, 2007, Google Inc. helped the search for the aviator through its connections to contractors that provide satellite imagery for its Google Earth software. Richard Branson, Fossett's British billionaire friend, said he and others were coordinating efforts with Google to see if any of the high-resolution pictures might include Fossett's aircraft. [and from another] Hilton Ranch N38 W119. Area 51 N37 W115.

Steve Fossett was a man familiar with danger and how to survive on land, sea, or in the air, holding an astonishing array of records - going round-the-world on an air balloon in 2002, a first ever accomplishment; breaking the record for tran-Atlantic sailing in 2003 while retracing the route Columbus used in 1492; breaking the record for round-the-world in a sailboat in 2004 by a full 6 days; going round-the-world on a glider in 2005 which set the record for a non-stop flight by any type of aircraft. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2006 for his numerous accomplishments, and was planning to break yet another record in 2007 for land speed. Is this a man who would get lost in the wild, while flying a small plane in broad daylight? The lack of a flight plan is explained by an apparent intention to take off and land from the same strip. The failure of the plane's locator device is explained as a known fault in older planes. Given that Steve would know this, and was taking off alone without a destination or flight path, why would he leave behind his personal locator device, a wrist watch? This was deliberate.

What drives a man such as Steve Fossett? Clearly a goal-driven man, a careful planner, he was nontheless aging. His recent astonishing track record, since the year 2000, were due in great part to funding which he did not have in his earlier years. Many of his past efforts required the physical strength and good health that a younger man has - swimming the English Chanel at the age of 45, and completing the Iditarod dogsled race. What lies ahead for Steve? Is this a man who retires gracefully from competition? To continue competition means, eventually, a string of failures due to old age. One should quit while they are ahead, is often the adage. But Steve is a man who cannot do this, and knows himself well enough to realize this. A string of failures would be his humiliating outcome, of that he was certain. He decided on a type of suicide, but one which would leave no trace of his decision. Taking off from the Hilton ranch, it was only a short flight to Area 51, famous for the security forces defending this military installation from prying eyes. Area 51 prevents overflight as well as land incursions, and does so with force. A small plane ignoring warnings is pursued with more than warnings, is forced down. Seeing they had the famous Steve Fossett in their custody, a quick decision had to be made. Should they release him, allow his fame to broadcast what he had observed at Area 51, or should they detain him? He is alive, in detention, and unlikely to emerge. He has retired, the plane in a hanger and likely to be destroyed to remove all evidence. This was deliberate, an outcome Steve had hoped would occur.

Steve Fossett and Bud Light Spirit of Freedom Achieve Aviation Milestone
July 4, 2002

Steve Fossetts successful 14 day, 19 hour and 51 minute round the world quest came to a stunning finish at dawn today as Bud Light Spirit of Freedom landed smoothly near Lake Yamma Yamma (dry lake) in the east Australian 0utback, 725 miles northwest of Sydney.

 

San Salvador, Bahamas
February 24, 2003

Skipper Steve Fossett (USA) and his crew of 12 aboard the maxi-catamaran PlayStation achieved more sailing history Monday morning as they broke the East - West TransAtlantic sailing record by over a day. They arrived at the island of San Salvador, the Bahamas following their 229-1/2 hour crossing from Cadiz, via the Canaries. Fossett and crew, following the same route as Columbus in 1492.

 

New Round The World Sailing Record for Fossett and Crew on Cheyenne
April 5, 2004

American skipper Steve Fossett and his international crew of 12 aboard the 125' maxi-catamaran Cheyenne crossed the official WSSRC start-finish line here at Le Stiff lighthouse on the French island of Ouessant (Ushant). They have just demolished the 2 year old Round The World Sailing record - by almost 6 days and fulfils Fossett's decade old ambition to achieve 'the most important record in sailing'.

 

Salina, Kansas, USA
March 4, 2005

The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, piloted by legendary aviator and record breaker Steve Fossett, successfully landed at Salina, Kansas March 3, thereby earning Steve another truly important world 'first'. The solo round-the-world flight was completed in 67 hours and 2 minutes and 38 seconds. The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer took off for its round-the-world record attempt from Salina Airport, Kansas on February 28.

 

Steve Fossett to be inducted into National Aviation Hall of Fame "Class of 2007"
December 15, 2006

Pilot Steve Fossett, holder of numerous aviation world records in balloons, gliders, airships and powered aircraft, and four other aviation legends will be honored with the announcement that they are to be enshrined in the The National Aviation Hall of Fame.

 

Steve Fosset's Jet-Powered Land Speed Record Challenger Nears Completion at Nevada Base
July 11, 2007

Record breaking American aviator and adventurer Steve Fossett's attack on the absolute land speed record will begin later this summer at the fabled Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, with initial tests commencing late August.