GlobalFlyer's "Ultimate Flight" launches tomorrow

[preiffer]

"Code Green", apparently:

Having been the first to fly round the world, solo in 2005, Steve Fossett and the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer now attempt to fly further than any other aircraft in history.

Mission Status: Code GREEN confirmed - February 7
We plan to attempt a launch on February 7 at first light, 6:42 AM local time, 12:42UTC, from the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, FL.

The weather at Kennedy is forecast to be marginal, but satisfactory for launch. The round the world winds remain good. Final preparations are in progress.

I wonder if they fixed that problem that occured last year. I think it was something to do with a fuel gauge.

[HighFlyer]

Quick update from http://www.virginatlanticglobalflyer.com/ for the launch today at around 11.42am our time!

Mission Status: Code GREEN confirmed - today, February 7

The time of take-off is set at 1200UTC (0700EST). This is the time the ATC flight plan is filed for. We are planning to take-off between the beginning of Civil Twilight - 1142UTC (0642EST) and Sunrise - 1207UTC (0707EST), from the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, FL.

The weather at Kennedy is still marginal, but satisfactory for launch. The round the world winds remain good.

Im intending on watching/streaming the take-off from the comfort of my office chair

Landing at Manston in Kent apparently.

Iain

[HighFlyer]

From the Global Flyer website ..

"More information will be available shortly, but the attempted take-off for today, the 7th has been cancelled"

Flight cancelled due to weather conditions apparently, but hopefully tomorrow will be better for Steve and the team [:(]

Apparently, it was a fuel leak that caused today's cancellation - details at this link.

Best wishes

David

[preiffer]

Umm...

From virginatlanticglobalflyer.com
We have discoverd a small fuel leak which happens to be an element of the fuel system which we changed last flight. This new element has never been tested with a full fuel load before... We learned once it was fully fuelled that we had a small leak in that system.

Now, I'm no engineer - but something in my brain alarms me when I see words "never been tested" on the same page as "aircraft" and "fuel"... [:0]

Originally posted by preiffer
Umm...

From virginatlanticglobalflyer.com
We have discoverd a small fuel leak which happens to be an element of the fuel system which we changed last flight. This new element has never been tested with a full fuel load before... We learned once it was fully fuelled that we had a small leak in that system.

Now, I'm no engineer - but something in my brain alarms me when I see words "never been tested" on the same page as "aircraft" and "fuel"... [:0]

And on the same page as Virgin Atlantic [:0]:D:D

Hey you guys worry too much. Chill. Nothing blew up, so why worry!