Fossett starts non-stop flight with GlobalFlyer

  

American aviator Steve Fossett landed at Salina Municipal Airport in Kansas, on Thursday in the experimental Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, completing the first solo, non-stop flight around the world without refueling. (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

(Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer aircraft is wheeled out of a hangar in Salina, Kansas. The final countdown was underway for a 5:00 pm (2300 GMT) takeoff of the experimental plane aiming to make the first solo, non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world.(Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

    WASHINGTON, March 3 (Xinhuanet) -- American aviator Steve Fossett landed at Salina Municipal Airport in Kansas, on Thursday in the experimental Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, completing the first solo, non-stop flight around the world without refueling.

    Fossett, who took off from Salina Municipal Airport in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer at 6:47 pm Monday (0047 GMT Tuesday), touched down at 1:48 pm (1948 GMT) after deploying a small trailing parachute in the final glide to reduce his speed.

    Thousands of people lined the runway and cheered as Fossett rolled to a stop after an historic flight which lasted 67 hours and one minute.

    Fossett, a 60-year-old millionaire, has now set records for around-the-world journeys in sailing, hot air balloons and jet airplanes. Enditem