Way OT: Steve Fossett accident

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Way OT: Steve Fossett accident

Does anyone know what happened to his Land Speed Record Car named Spirit of America after his death? Where it went, what are the plans with it...?

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Way OT: Steve Fossett accident

The text from a newspaper article, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...owndrafts.html

The air crash that killed entrepreneur Steve Fossett was probably caused by downdrafts that exceeded the ability of his small plane to recover before slamming into a California mountainside, federal safety officials have said.

Mr Fossett, 63, disappeared on Sept. 3, 2007, after taking off alone from a Nevada ranch owned by hotel magnate Barron Hilton for what was supposed to have been a short pleasure flight.
His Bellanca 8KCAB-180, a single-engine two-seater known as the "Super Decathlon," which sometimes was used for acrobatic flying, crashed near Mammoth Lakes, California.
An extensive, high-profile search failed to turn up any clues to his fate. A year later, on Oct. 7, 2008, a hiker found some of Mr Fossett's belongings, including a pilot certificate and an identification card. An aerial search located the wreckage about a half-mile away at an elevation of about 10,000 feet.
At breakfast on the day of the accident, Mr Fossett told the ranch's chief pilot that he intended to fly along Highway 395, and he did not plan to wear a parachute, which would have been required for acrobatics, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a report.
Mr Fossett's wife likened his intended flight as "a Sunday drive," the report said.

No emergency radio transmissions were received from Mr Fossett, nor were any emergency locator transmitter signals received.
After the wreckage was discovered, a review of radar data from September 2007 revealed a "track" that ended about a mile northwest of the accident site, the report said.
The radar track initially was dismissed in the search for Mr Fossett because an employee at Hilton's ranch had reported seeing the Bellanca in a different location at about the time of the radar track, the report said. It was later determined that the employee's time estimate of the sighting was off by about an hour, the report said.
The radar track shows what is now believed to have been Mr Fossett's plane flying south the along a crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The track started about 35 miles south-southwest from where he had taken off that morning and continued roughly parallel to Highway 395 about 10 miles to the west of the road.
The first few minutes of the track indicated an altitude of about 14,500 feet to 14,900 feet, the report said.
"The remainder of the track consisted of primary returns with no altitude information," the report said.
Based on its investigation including weather reports, interviews with other pilots who flew in area that day and an examination of the wreckage the board concluded the Bellanca probably was unable even at full power to climb out of what likely were powerful downdrafts.
The wreckage examined by investigators was charred from a fire that erupted on impact and scattered over an area 350 feet long and 150 feet wide, the report said.
Within two days of Mr Fossett's disappearance, experienced pilots were speculating that even the master of aerial adventure could have fallen victim to the notorious winds on the Sierra's eastern front that are so powerful and tricky they can swirl an airplane like a leaf and even shear off a wing.
"There's been times when I've been flying in the wind and my blood turns cold," Adam Mayberry, a private pilot and former spokesman for the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, said at the time.
Wind gusts in the area can whip up without warning from any direction, with sudden downdrafts that can drag a plane clear to the ground. Passengers flying even on commercial airliners between Las Vegas and Reno know to keep their seat belts fastened for a ride that is never smooth.

[Race5]

Re: Way OT: Steve Fossett accident

Does anyone know what happened to his Land Speed Record Car named Spirit of America after his death? Where it went, what are the plans with it...?

Steve's widow still owns the car. It is for sale, and could be ready to run in a fairly short amount of time. I know the crew would love to have someone step up with the $$ to let them continue Steve's vision with the car.

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Way OT: Steve Fossett accident

Do you know of a website, magazine aritcles where the details are about the car, ie cost, what's included, or what's been done to it since it changed hands from Craig Breedlove to Steve Fossett?

It's such an interesting vehicle. I'd like to see more published about it instead of it remaining a mystery.

Steve's widow still owns the car. It is for sale, and could be ready to run in a fairly short amount of time. I know the crew would love to have someone step up with the $$ to let them continue Steve's vision with the car.

[Race5]

Re: Way OT: Steve Fossett accident

Do you know of a website, magazine aritcles where the details are about the car, ie cost, what's included, or what's been done to it since it changed hands from Craig Breedlove to Steve Fossett?

It's such an interesting vehicle. I'd like to see more published about it instead of it remaining a mystery.

Nothing published as far as I know and I seriously doubt there will be.

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Way OT: Steve Fossett accident

There is a lot of interesting information on Steve Fossett, his records, the accident etc on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Fossett

On July 9, 2009, the NTSB declared the probable cause of the crash as "the pilot’s inadvertent encounter with downdrafts that exceeded the climb capability of the airplane. Contributing to the accident were the downdrafts, high density altitude, and mountainous terrain."

Regarding the sale of the car:

At the time that he died in a plane crash in 2007, aviation pioneer Steve Fossett was in the middle of launching a new project that was very down to earth. The aeronautical adventurer had his sights set on breaking the then decade-old land speed record of 763 mph, set by Andy Green of Great Britain in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
To accomplish this feat, in 2006 Fossett purchased a vehicle called the ‘Spirit of America – Sonic Arrow’ from one-time land speed record holder, Craig Breedlove. The 69-year old Breedlove had hoped to break Green’s record himself, but due to various circumstances was unable to get his car to travel faster than 675 mph, despite projections that it could crack 800 mph.
Fossett put the full force of his aerodynamic expertise behind redesigning the jet-powered vehicle, rechristening the effort “Target 800 mph”. However, with the changes made by his team, and a better power to weight ratio than a jet fighter, he expected it to hit 900 mph.
Development continued after Fossett went missing, but the project was eventually mothballed in 2008 after over $4 million was invested. Now, in what is likely the only supersonic car to ever have a ‘For Sale’ sign put on it, the vehicle, blueprints, transporter and everything connected to the effort, including a catering truck for those long days in the desert, are being made available to the highest bidder, with a starting price of $3 million.
The sale is being handled by Project 100 Communications, a British motor and adventure sports marketing firm that has represented many of Fossett's previous efforts and it is looking at all serious offers. The company's Managing Director, Stuart Radnofsky, says he has already been contacted by four or five legitimate interested parties.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/...#ixzz2BMioLCR5

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Way OT: Steve Fossett accident

From an article that says this company is in charge of the selling of the car, I could not find anything on their website regarding the car: http://www.project100.com/welcome.html

Nothing published as far as I know and I seriously doubt there will be.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: Way OT: Steve Fossett accident

There is a lot of interesting information on Steve Fossett, his records, the accident etc on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Fossett

On July 9, 2009, the NTSB declared the probable cause of the crash as "the pilot’s inadvertent encounter with downdrafts that exceeded the climb capability of the airplane. Contributing to the accident were the downdrafts, high density altitude, and mountainous terrain."

Regarding the sale of the car:

At the time that he died in a plane crash in 2007, aviation pioneer Steve Fossett was in the middle of launching a new project that was very down to earth. The aeronautical adventurer had his sights set on breaking the then decade-old land speed record of 763 mph, set by Andy Green of Great Britain in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
To accomplish this feat, in 2006 Fossett purchased a vehicle called the ‘Spirit of America – Sonic Arrow’ from one-time land speed record holder, Craig Breedlove. The 69-year old Breedlove had hoped to break Green’s record himself, but due to various circumstances was unable to get his car to travel faster than 675 mph, despite projections that it could crack 800 mph.
Fossett put the full force of his aerodynamic expertise behind redesigning the jet-powered vehicle, rechristening the effort “Target 800 mph”. However, with the changes made by his team, and a better power to weight ratio than a jet fighter, he expected it to hit 900 mph.
Development continued after Fossett went missing, but the project was eventually mothballed in 2008 after over $4 million was invested. Now, in what is likely the only supersonic car to ever have a ‘For Sale’ sign put on it, the vehicle, blueprints, transporter and everything connected to the effort, including a catering truck for those long days in the desert, are being made available to the highest bidder, with a starting price of $3 million.
The sale is being handled by Project 100 Communications, a British motor and adventure sports marketing firm that has represented many of Fossett's previous efforts and it is looking at all serious offers. The company's Managing Director, Stuart Radnofsky, says he has already been contacted by four or five legitimate interested parties.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/...#ixzz2BMioLCR5

Kinda pissed off I never got to see it go. I put so much work into that thing. FYI most of the crew were air race people, and were hired right on the tarmac at Stead during race week 2007. At one time he was looking into buying an unlimited to do some coast to coast propeller/piston speed records with. Could to just imagine PM or Dago with wet wing/drop tanks?! We did!!!