I’ve posted about the adventuresome exploits of
multi-millionaire Steve Fossett here before. I love the guy. He has got some
serious cojones, as well as many world-records to his name. How many world records? 109 world records by last
count. And rather that kick back in some tropical locale resting on his laurels…or on a pile of $20 bills, he is now off and planning his next great adventure. Yes,
this morning Fossett will embark on one of his most challenging and potentially dangerous endeavors to date: a
26,120-mile journey around the world. If he is successful this will be the longest nonstop flight in aviation history.
The current record is held by Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones whose record of 25,361 miles was set in in 1999 by the
Breitling Orbiter Balloon.
The trip will take some 80 hours, meaning that Fossett will likely pack several
cases of Red Bull, perhaps hooking an IV of the stuff so that it pipes directly into his body. Actually, according to
this piece Fossett will actually live off a liquid diet of Slim-Fast milkshakes. Needless to say the marketing folks at
Slimfast are giddy at the prospect.