…Record-Setting Trivia…

For the record, Fossett came perilously close to not claiming the record — aside from the lost(?) 2,600 lbs of fuel (typo’d in a previous issue as gallons). The requirement for setting the record was that Fossett cross all longitudinal lines and cover a distance equal to that of either the Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn, or 19,863 nautical miles. Somehow, Fossett’s irregular route through North America, Europe and Asia carried him only 17 nm farther than the record distance. He did it in 67 hours, 1 minute and 46 seconds (bouncing the landing on arrival, but if you’ve ever seen an albatross land …). That made his average ground speed 296.6 knots. The feat has brought out the best in aviation chat-room trivia. For instance, one pilot mused that Fossett couldn’t log the flight as cross country because he didn’t land at an airport at least 50 nm from his departure point. Another noted that he could log an outside loop for the flight.