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Steve Fossett [Sep 3, 2007] http://www.stevefossett.com/ At 8:45 am, on Monday, September 3, 2007, Fossett took off in a single-engine Bellanca Super Decathlon airplane from a private airstrip known as Flying-M Ranch ( 38°N, 119°W), near Carson City and the California border. The airfield is owned by Barron Hilton. There has been no signal from the plane's emergency locator transmitter (ELT), designed to be automatically activated in the event of a crash, but of an older type notorious for failing to operate after a crash. It was at first thought that Fossett may have also been wearing a Swiss-made Breitling Emergency watch with a manually operated ELT having a range of up to 90 miles, but no signal was received from it. He did own such a watch, but was not wearing it when he took off for the Labor Day flight. Fossett apparently did not file a flight plan, but was not required to do so. As of September 10, search crews had found eight previously uncharted crash sites, some decades old, but none related to Fossett's disappearance. On September 7, 2007, Google Inc. helped the search for the aviator through its connections to contractors that provide satellite imagery for its Google Earth software. Richard Branson, Fossett's British billionaire friend, said he and others were coordinating efforts with Google to see if any of the high-resolution pictures might include Fossett's aircraft. [and from another] Hilton Ranch N38 W119. Area 51 N37 W115.
The mangled debris of Fossett's single-engine Bellanca was spotted from the air late Wednesday [Oct 1, 2008] near the town of Mammoth Lakes and was identified by its tail number. The rugged area, situated about 65 miles from the ranch, had been flown over 19 times by the California Civil Air Patrol during the initial search. [and from another] http://onthescene.blogs.foxnews.com/author/adamhousley/ In the mountains off trail above Mammoth Lakes California near the area of Minaret Lake and Minaret Mine. Apparently the man came across what appeared to be some papers lying in a remote path. Tattered and crumpled on the ground, the Mammoth Lakes local found what appears to be two FAA cards that listed the name Steve Fossett, both were apparently either issued or had some sort of connection to the State of Illinois. The two cards were found with a small amount of money and not far away, a sweat jacket, also a bit worn and beaten up from the weather.
Steve Fossett was a man familiar with danger and how to survive on land, sea, or in the air, holding an astonishing array of records - going round-the-world on an
air balloon in 2002, a first ever accomplishment; breaking the record for tran-Atlantic sailing in 2003 while retracing the route Columbus used in 1492; breaking the
record for round-the-world in a sailboat in 2004 by a full 6 days; going round-the-world on a glider in 2005 which set the record for a non-stop flight by any type
of aircraft. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2006 for his numerous accomplishments, and was planning to break yet another record in
2007 for land speed. Is this a man who would get lost in the wild, while flying a small plane in broad daylight? The lack of a flight plan is explained by an apparent
intention to take off and land from the same strip. The failure of the plane's locator device is explained as a known fault in older planes. Given that Steve would
know this, and was taking off alone without a destination or flight path, why would he leave behind his personal locator device, a wrist watch? This was deliberate.
What drives a man such as Steve Fossett? Clearly a goal-driven man, a careful planner, he was nontheless aging. His recent astonishing track record, since the year
2000, were due in great part to funding which he did not have in his earlier years. Many of his past efforts required the physical strength and good health that a
younger man has - swimming the English Chanel at the age of 45, and completing the Iditarod dogsled race. What lies ahead for Steve? Is this a man who retires
gracefully from competition? To continue competition means, eventually, a string of failures due to old age. One should quit while they are ahead, is often the adage.
But Steve is a man who cannot do this, and knows himself well enough to realize this. A string of failures would be his humiliating outcome, of that he was certain.
He decided on a type of suicide, but one which would leave no trace of his decision. Taking off from the Hilton ranch, it was only a short flight to Area 51, famous
for the security forces defending this military installation from prying eyes. Area 51 prevents overflight as well as land incursions, and does so with force. A small
plane ignoring warnings is pursued with more than warnings, is forced down. Seeing they had the famous Steve Fossett in their custody, a quick decision had to be
made. Should they release him, allow his fame to broadcast what he had observed at Area 51, or should they detain him? He is alive, in detention, and unlikely to
emerge. He has retired, the plane in a hanger and likely to be destroyed to remove all evidence. This was deliberate, an outcome Steve had hoped would occur.
Below added on October 4, 2008
At the time of Steve Fossett's disappearance in a bright light blue plane, the largest aerial search ever was conducted. Google Earth provided fresh satellite images
of the region so that the public could assist. The California Civil Air Patrol conducted no less than 19 flights over the area where the plane wreckage is now found.
How does a bright light blue and white plane get missed when it is thrown against rock at a high altitude and not lost in overgrowth of vegetation as it might be in a
jungle. It doesn't. It as recently planted there. We stated at the time that Fossett had landed at Area 51, and intended to be deliberately lost to the world. He
wanted to end his career on a high note, and feared a steady decline as he aged. He wanted a new adventure. He left the on this last flight without his special
locator wrist watch, a gift from his wife. He left without filing a flight plan. Why then, a full year since his disappearance, has his plane and other effects been planted
where they would easily be found?
Mankind loves an unsolved mystery, and without a closing note on the Steve Fossett disappearance there would always be those dedicating themselves to the
search. So went the logic among those in charge of Area 51. The small single-engine plane was taken from the hanger where it had been stored at Area 51 and
hung beneath a military chopper by a cable. The plane was released over the mountains, virtually flung against the mountainside during a maneuver by the chopper
which slung the small plane during a right-angle turn. This maneuver released the cable grip on the plane and sent the plane at high speed into a cliff while the
chopper was off to the side, avoiding the cliff. All this occurred under cover of night, with the lights off, but good visibility due to moon light. When the plane was
not discovered promptly, due to the search of the area having been called off, Fossett's ID and some money were planted on a hiking path. What are the odds of a
wild animal dragging the ID and some money to a path? Would an animal be interested in the contents of a wallet, which would have been snug in some pocket in
any case.
The final piece to putting this mystery to rest is identification of body parts. Conveniently, some small bone which could provide DNA has been found. Did Area 51
personnel chop a finger off Steve Fossett for this gambit? DNA verification has two parts - the DNA from the victim and the DNA on file somewhere, perhaps as
indentification during licensing or in medical files. It is a simple matter of determining where Fossett's DNA charts and samples reside and replacing them with DNA
from some other cadaver whose body AREA 51 has in their possession. Who were Fossett's doctors? Which hospitals had done tests? What special licenses had
he sought and obtained? Click, click, click and any DNA charts or frozen samples taken for DNA testing are replaced. Does the CIA and DOD intel know who to
break into a lab and effect such a swap? A locked door might stand between the perpetrators of such a swap and the samples to be swapped, but DNA samples
are not under guard or considered a high priority. As with the DNA proof that the man hanged as Saddam Hussein was indeed the dictator of Iraq, the question is
begged. Who was in possession of the file copies used for comparison. In the case of Hussein, it was the CIA! Where does trust lie?
Steve Fossett and Bud Light Spirit of Freedom Achieve Aviation Milestone
July 4, 2002- Steve Fossetts successful 14 day, 19 hour and 51 minute round the world quest came to a stunning finish at dawn today as Bud Light Spirit of Freedom landed smoothly near Lake Yamma Yamma (dry lake) in the east Australian 0utback, 725 miles northwest of Sydney.
- San Salvador, Bahamas
February 24, 2003- Skipper Steve Fossett (USA) and his crew of 12 aboard the maxi-catamaran PlayStation achieved more sailing history Monday morning as they broke the East - West TransAtlantic sailing record by over a day. They arrived at the island of San Salvador, the Bahamas following their 229-1/2 hour crossing from Cadiz, via the Canaries. Fossett and crew, following the same route as Columbus in 1492.
- New Round The World Sailing Record for Fossett and Crew on Cheyenne
April 5, 2004- American skipper Steve Fossett and his international crew of 12 aboard the 125' maxi-catamaran Cheyenne crossed the official WSSRC start-finish line here at Le Stiff lighthouse on the French island of Ouessant (Ushant). They have just demolished the 2 year old Round The World Sailing record - by almost 6 days and fulfils Fossett's decade old ambition to achieve 'the most important record in sailing'.
Salina, Kansas, USA
March 4, 2005- The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, piloted by legendary aviator and record breaker Steve Fossett, successfully landed at Salina, Kansas March 3, thereby earning Steve another truly important world 'first'. The solo round-the-world flight was completed in 67 hours and 2 minutes and 38 seconds. The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer took off for its round-the-world record attempt from Salina Airport, Kansas on February 28.
Steve Fossett to be inducted into National Aviation Hall of Fame "Class of 2007"
December 15, 2006- Pilot Steve Fossett, holder of numerous aviation world records in balloons, gliders, airships and powered aircraft, and four other aviation legends will be honored with the announcement that they are to be enshrined in the The National Aviation Hall of Fame.
Steve Fosset's Jet-Powered Land Speed Record Challenger Nears Completion at Nevada Base
July 11, 2007- Record breaking American aviator and adventurer Steve Fossett's attack on the absolute land speed record will begin later this summer at the fabled Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, with initial tests commencing late August.
