Help find Steve Fossett

[GordMay]

Steve Fossett, the world’s most successful Speed Sailor, is missing.

He took off on his solo flight in a single-engine Bellanca aircraft from a private airstrip 80 miles (130 kilometers) southeast of Reno, Nevada. He failed to file a flight-plan for what was supposed to be a routine three-hour jaunt. His aircraft was equipped with an electronic tracking device designed to be triggered in the event of a rough landing, but it has not been activated. Conditions were "optimal", with calm to light winds. Mr. Fossett was carrying four full tanks of fuel, and was searching for empty lake beds suitable for a forthcoming attempt at the land speed record.

You can help find Steve! Through the generous efforts of individuals at several organizations, detailed satellite imagery has been made available for his last known whereabouts.

More info, Goto: Steve Fossett Challenges | Home

[Ex-Calif]

Very interesting concept of search and rescue. It could make burning fuel and flying square search patterns obsolete.

Very sad and very surprising a guy with that much experience completely disappears.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

. . . very surprising a guy with that much experience completely disappears.

Probably not, really. Not when you consider the vast area in which he most likely went down, and how rugged and monochromatic it is.

The last I heard, those doing the physical search had located six downed aircraft so far - three previously known, and three unknown. That says a lot about the terrain where they're searching for Steve Fossett.

The surprise, to me, is that a man with his experience would take but a single bottle of water with him. I doubt there is even a novice skipper on this site who would put to sea as ill-prepared.

TaoJones

[44'cruisingcat]

more water would have been a good idea. And maybe an EPIRB?

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

Probably not, really. Not when you consider the vast area in which he most likely went down, and how rugged and monochromatic it is.

TaoJones

Not that the terrain isn't a factor but the fact a guy with that much experience takes off and no one "really" had a clue where he was going and he was so unprepared.

They are saying a 50 mile radius so that's only about 7800 square miles - cough, cough...

I've flown around that area. Easy to go up a wrong canyon and disappear. Not easy for a guy with this much experience, though...