Voyager returning from its flight

The "Voyager" aircraft was the first to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. It was piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, who took off from Edwards Air Force Base's 15,000 foot (4,600 m) runway in the Mojave Desert on December 14, 1986. Their flight ended successfully 9 days, 3 minutes and 44 seconds later, on December 23. They flew 26,366 statute miles (the FAI accredited distance is 40,212 km) at an average altitude of 11,000 feet (3.4 km). This broke a previous record set by a United States Air Force crew piloting a Boeing B-52 that flew 12,532 miles (20,168 km) in 1962. From [1], via NASA. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... From [1], via NASA. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... An aircraft is any machine capable of atmospheric flight. ... Richard “Dick” Rutan (born July 1, 1938) is an aviator who is most famous for flying the Voyager aircraft around the world non-stop with the assistance of Jeana Yeager. ... Categories: Stub | 1952 births | American aviators ... Edwards Air Force Base is a USAF airbase located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County, California in the Antelope Valley, 7 miles (11 km) due East of Rosamond, USA at 34°57′ N 117°52′ W. An airbase since 1933, Edwards has long been a home... Mojave Desert The Mojave or Mohave Desert occupies a significant portion of Southern California and parts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona. ... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) is a standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range strategic bomber flown by the United States Air Force since 1955, replacing the Convair B-36. ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Voyager's takeoff took place at 8:01 AM local time. As the plane accelerated, the tips of the wings, which were heavily loaded with fuel, were damaged as they scraped against the runway (see photo below), ultimately causing pieces to break off at the ends. The aircraft accelerated very slowly and needed approximately 14,200 feet (4.3 km) of the runway to gain enough speed to lift from the ground. During the flight, the two pilots had to deal with extremely cramped quarters. To reduce stress, the two attempted to fly the plane in three-hour shifts, but this did not prove to be very successful and they became extremely fatigued. For the workstation, see SGI Fuel. ... Stress (roughly the opposite of relaxation) is a medical term for a wide range of strong external stimuli, both physiological and psychological, which can cause a physiological response called the general adaptation syndrome, first described in 1936 by Hans Selye in the journal Nature. ...

The (damaged) left wingtip of Voyager

The plane also continuously reminded the pilots of its fragility. They had to maneuver around weather numerous times, most perilously around the 600 mile (1,000 km) wide Typhoon Marge. Libya denied access to the country's airspace, forcing precious fuel to be used. As they neared California to land, a fuel pump failed and had to quickly be swapped with its twin on the other side of the aircraft. The plane safely came back to Earth, touching down at 8:06 AM at the same airfield. The average speed for the flight was 116 miles per hour (187 km/h). Photo of damaged wingtip of the Voyager aircraft. ... Photo of damaged wingtip of the Voyager aircraft. ... Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a particular country on top of its territory and territorial waters or, more generally, any specific portion of the atmosphere. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... Earth, also known as the Earth, Terra, and (mostly in the 19th century) Tellus, is the third-closest planet to the Sun. ...

Voyager on display in the National Air and Space Museum

The aircraft was first dreamed up by Jeana Yeager, Dick and his brother Burt Rutan as they were at lunch in 1981. Like many other inventions, the initial idea was first scratched out on a napkin. The Voyager volunteers refined the design and built the aircraft. The craft, largely made of fiberglass, graphite, and Kevlar, weighs 939 pounds (426 kg) when empty. However, when it was fully loaded before the historic flight, it weighed 9,694.5 pounds (4397.3 kg). The plane had front and rear propellers, powered by separate engines. The rear engine, a water-cooled Teledyne Continental IOL-200, was operated throughout the flight. The front engine, an air-cooled Teledyne Continental O-240, was operated intermittantly to provide additional power for takeoff and climbing. Voyager was built in Mojave, California, over a period of 5 years. It is now on display at the Smithsonian Institute's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. The Voyager aircraft on display in the NASM. Photo taken by User:Johnstone. ... The Voyager aircraft on display in the NASM. Photo taken by User:Johnstone. ... Interior of museum, with Gemini capsule, Soviet rockets, and Wright Flyer visible The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the United States Smithsonian Institution maintains the largest collection of aircraft and spacecraft in the world. ... Elbert L. Burt Rutan (born June 17, 1943) is an aircraft designer known for designing light, strong, unusual-looking, energy-efficient aircraft. ... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A napkin is a small square of cloth or paper used at table. ... Fiberglass or fibreglass is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. ... Graphite (named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789, from the Greek γραφειν: to draw/write, for its use in pencils) is one of the allotropes of carbon. ... Kevlar, also known as super steel crapTwaron and poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide, is a synthetic fibre that is five times stronger than steel, weight for weight. ... Categories: Aircraft stubs | Manufacturing companies of the United States | Transportation companies of the United States | Aircraft engine manufacturers ... Categories: Aircraft stubs | Manufacturing companies of the United States | Transportation companies of the United States | Aircraft engine manufacturers ... Mojave is a town located in Kern County, California. ... The Smithsonian castle, as seen through the garden gate. ... Interior of museum, with Gemini capsule, Soviet rockets, and Wright Flyer visible The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the United States Smithsonian Institution maintains the largest collection of aircraft and spacecraft in the world. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

See Also

• The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer was a jet-powered aircraft also designed by Burt Rutan, in which Steve Fossett made the first solo nonstop flight around the world in 2005.

The Scaled Composites Model 311 Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer is an aircraft designed by Burt Rutan that Steve Fossett flew in a non-stop solo trip around the world from February 28, 2005 until March 3, 2005. ... A Pratt and Whitney turbofan engine for the F-15 Eagle is tested at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, USA. The tunnel behind the engine muffles noise and allows exhaust to escape. ... Steve Fossett (born April 22, 1944, Tennessee) is a United States millionaire and adventurer. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• David H. Onkst. Dick Rutan, Jeana Yeager, and the Flight of the Voyager. U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission.