Fossett wings toward historic biplane flight

The world famous millionaire is trying to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight in an open cockpit biplane.

CTV.ca News Staff
 
Updated: Wed. Jun. 1 2005 11:30 PM ET

Just months after he became the first person to fly solo around the world, adventurer Steve Fossett is once again piloting his way into the aviation history books.

This time, the world famous millionaire is trying to recreate a historical feat -- the first non-stop transatlantic flight in an open cockpit biplane.
Alongside co-pilot and navigator Mark Rebholz, Fossett was at the helm of the replica Vimy Vickers biplane when it took off from Downsview in Toronto on Wednesday morning.

From there, it was on to Ottawa for a brief stop at the Canada Aviation Museum, as the plane made its way to the journey's official start in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Retracing the route first flown by British pilots John Alcock and Arthur Brown, the plane will head from St. John's directly to Clifden, Ireland.

It took Alcock and Brown approximately 16 hours to complete the 3,150 kilometre flight in June 1919. Eight years later, flying from New York to Paris, Charles Lindbergh became the first to make the crossing solo.

To recreate the conditions of Alcock and Brown's historic flight, Fossett and Rebholz are eschewing modern navigational aids for a compass and naval sextant.

The pair are expected to launch their flight, depending on conditions, sometime between June 7 and June 20.

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