SAT考试写作素材分享:Fossett makes history
Flying from horizon to horizon, Steve Fossett completed the first nonstop, flight round-the-world without refueling on Thursday afternoon, landing gracefully in Kansas at 2:49 pm ET.
A cheering crowd gathered to usher the GlobalFlyer and its 60-year-old pilot into the record books, something that has become almost routine for Fossett in recent years. The aviator now holds three record-breaking circumnavigations of the globe, the two others by balloon and sailboat.
Its something Ive wanted to do for a long time, Fossett said as he stepped out of the plane, his legs wobbly after nearly three days in the cockpit. It has been a major ambition of mine.
The sometimes tense journey across three oceans and dozens of countries began in Salina, Kansas, on Monday evening. The 25,000-mile voyage took 67 hours and two minutes. It was financed by Fossetts longtime friend and investor, Richard Branson, who heads Virgin Atlantic Airways.
As GlobalFlyer approached the airport, Fossett deployed small parachutes to slow the craft down.
After touching down smoothly, Fossett taxied the plane toward a hangar and Branson waved a black-and-white checkered flag as the jet came to a stop. Fossetts flight team opened a bottle of champagne onto the runway.
GlobalFlyer was built by Scaled Composites, the same firm that designed and launched the worlds first civilian manned spacecraft, SpaceShipOne, last year.
Burt Rutan, aerospace engineer and head of Scaled Composites, said the plane, and the pilot, performed admirably.
Despite the successful homecoming, the GlobalFlyer encountered dark moments during its flight.
At one point, controllers thought the plane would run out of fuel far short of its target. Fossett and the GlobalFlyer team considered abandoning the trip when they were over Hawaii on Wednesday because the experimental plane came up about 2,600 pounds of fuel short after taking off. The jet burns 102 pounds of fuel per hour. The team speculated that fuel was vented from four tanks shortly after takeoff.
Fossett decided to press on because of favorable tail winds.
If I have engine trouble, there will be no trouble with gliding, Fossett had said earlier in the day before landing.
When more data arrived from the aircraft, projections showed the fuel would propel the aircraft throughout its entire 25,000-mile trip.
国际英语资讯:Germanys CDU losing support to Green Party: survey
国际英语资讯:Putin urges strengthening Russias military might in next 10 years
体坛英语资讯:Wildcard Lily Zhang makes upsets to reach ITTF Womens World Cup semis
最高法发布“校园暴力”典型案件
体坛英语资讯:Chinas Peng/Jin lead pairs at Skate America
国内英语资讯:President Xi meets IMF chief to advance cooperation
天津爆炸马云遭“逼捐”
被查官员如何“对抗组织调查”
如何用英语高大上的聊体操
体坛英语资讯:7th Military World Games to boost exchanges, mutual learning: experts
四川试点住房“地震险”
天津港爆炸“保险渗透率”较高
一周热词回顾(7.27-8.2)
各种动物的孩子们用英文怎么称呼呢?
北京迎阅兵各项关停举措
赴美留学新生减少 美大学仍看重中国生源
与颜色相关的英语短语和习惯用法[1]
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Japan govt confirms intel-pact with S. Korea to continue after Seouls 11th ho
国际英语资讯:Greater efforts urged to revamp central African economy: Cameroonian president
天津危险品仓库爆炸
国际英语资讯:Humanitarian situation remains very serious in South Sudan: UN
一周热词回顾(8.17-8.23)
一周热词回顾(9.7-9.11)
大学教授应保持“政治忠诚”
一周热词回顾(8.10-8.16)
民政部叫停“婚姻状况证明”
国内英语资讯:Xi Focus: Xi says Chinese dream by no means hegemonistic
一起了解“阅兵流程”
大众“排放作弊丑闻”继续升温
“朝阳群众”“西城大妈”长这样
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |