With the centennial of the Wright Brothers' first flight coming up on Dec. 17, aviation buffs will be watching to see if a modern replica of the Wrights' plane can duplicate their fear in Mojave, Calif. It's an ultralight jet called GlobalFlyer (picture above) built for one of aviation's last grand challenges: a nonstop solo flight around the world. Designed by Burt Rutan, president of Scaled Composites, the jet has an all composites airframe with a wingspan of 114 feet-roughly the same as a Boeing 737-but weighs just 3577 pounds, until loaded with 18000 lbs. of fuel. It could set new standards in flight efficiency and buff Rutan's image as aviation's most influential living designer. GlobalFlyer's around the world in 80 hours flight could come as early as May. At the controls will be Steve Fossett- famous for circling the globe solo in a hot-air balloon last year. Virgin Atlantic Airways is backing the venture.

Source: BussinessWeek Nov. 17, 2003 page 145 (I subscribed to this magazine by using US Airways miles!)

Sorry but I don't know how to put the picture of the GlobalFlyer because I don't know how! It looks like a small cylinder (for the cockpit with a LONG wing and two bigger cylinders on the sides (probably for fuel). A jet engine is mounted on top of the cockpit and the plane is painted in Virgin Atlantic colours.

Please post any comments, questions, information, or any discussion about this topic.

Cheers,
Tony