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23 December 2009

On this day in history: Voyager landed after record flight, 1986

In 1980, a former United States Air Force pilot called Dick Rutan met fellow pilot Jeana Yeager (no relation of Chuck Yeager) at an airshow in Chino, California. Romance blossomed between the two, and Yeager became a test pilot at Rutan's aircraft company, which he ran with his aerospace designer brother, Burt. Over lunch one day at the Mojave Inn in 1981, the three of them discussed making an aircraft capable of being the first aircraft to circumnavigate the World without landing or refueling.

Over the next five year's they refined the initial design that Burt sketched on a napkin to create Voyager. The aircraft had a lightweight fuselage made from carbon fiber, fiberglass and Kevlar. Engines powered propellers at the front and rear, with the front only used to provide the extra power for takeoff and the early part of the flight.

At 8.01am local time on 14th December 1986, Dick and Jeanna lifted off from the runway at Edwards' Air Force Base, California, to embark on their record-breaking flight attempt. Despite a tricky takeoff, in which Voyager's wingtips sustained damaged, and course changes necessitated by the weather and a lack of permission to fly in Libyan airspace, over the next five days the pair flew their westward course around the World. Approaching California one of the fuel pumps failed; nevertheless, they successfully landed back at Edwards' on 23rd December, having flown 26,366 miles (42,432 km) in nine days, 3 minutes and 44 seconds.

Related posts
Montgolfier Brothers first public balloon flight: 4th June, 1783
First Zeppelin flight: 2nd July, 1900
First successful powered aeroplane flight: 17th December 1903
First flight around the world: 28th September, 1924
Charles Lindbergh arrived in Paris: 21st May, 1927

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember that. I never heard some of the behind the scenes stuff though. Thanks

SANDY said...

I don't remember that in the news, strange would have thought there would have been good coverage.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Sandy

Cruiselife & Co said...

I don't remember this, although I was quite young at the time. How fascinating.

Borkiman said...

Thank you all for the seasonal greetings.

I only vaguely remember this endeavour appearing in the news. There was much more coverage of the human-powered Gossamer Albatross around this time.

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