On February 28, 2005, with temperatures just above freezing on a Kansas tarmac, Steve Fossett climbed into a strange, mantis-like aircraft with one goal: to fly solo around the world without stopping or refueling. The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, all wings and jet engine, was essentially a 4,000-pound cockpit surrounded by 18,000 pounds of fuel. It was an untested risk with the eyes of the world watching—and it almost failed in the first few seconds.
The Takeoff That Almost Wasn’t
Painted red, white, and blue, the GlobalFlyer thundered down the Salina runway and abruptly dipped as it lifted off. Spectators thought it was crashing. In reality, the overloaded wings were straining under fuel weight, and Fossett had pulled back hard at the last second to avoid disaster. “I didn’t mean to scare anyone,” he later said. “I was alive! Thrilled and on my way!”
Problems at 45,000 Feet
As the aircraft settled into a cruising altitude of about 45,000 feet, critical systems began failing. The GPS temporarily dropped out. Fuel began leaking. The backup oxygen supply, essential for emergency descent, was lost completely. Despite these failures, Fossett pressed on across oceans and continents, relying on skill, judgement, and favorable winds.
A Triumphant Landing
After 67 hours aloft, tailwinds hastened his return to Salina. On March 3, 2005, at 1:37 p.m., he landed to a full marching band, international media, and cheering crowds. Exhausted and unsteady, Fossett emerged from the cockpit, embraced his wife, and shouted, “This was a big one!” Richard Branson was waiting with champagne.
The Final Flight
On September 3, 2007, Fossett took off alone in a single-engine plane for a short flight near Nevada. He vanished. The search drew national attention, including one of the earliest crowdsourced satellite hunts for a missing person. Thirteen months later, a hiker near Mammoth, California found his pilot’s license in a ziplock bag. The wreckage was soon located nearby.
Fossett’s successful GlobalFlyer flight now lives on in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, preserved exactly as it flew—a silent record of one man’s attempt to circle the world on a single tank.
On February 28, 2005, in freezing Kansas air, Steve Fossett climbed into a fuel-heavy experimental plane to attempt the first solo nonstop flight around the world.
The GlobalFlyer nearly crashed on takeoff, dipped low, then climbed and vanished into the evening sky…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/P2iiBSxxWf
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) July 2, 2025