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Aviation History
1986
1986 - 0534.PDF
Voyager flexes its wings OSt •'II W^$B^I^&m®®*«^ 38 Burt Rutan's round-the-world Voyager aircraft is in the second phase of its flight-test programme. While many tech nical problems have been over come, brother Dick Rutan and copilot Jeana Yeager now face a daunting human endurance test. Robin Blech takes a look at the aircraft and talks to the crew in Mojave, California. Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager hope to make voyager's first record-breaking flight this June. Lasting eight days, it will route back and forth along the West Coast of America, attempting to break the standing closed circuit distance record of 11,336-92 miles, set by a USAF B-52H in 1962. The most favourable time for the world flight will be between June and October, probably September. This is planned to double the existing world record for straight-line distance of 12,532-28 miles, also set by a B-52H the same year. The Voyager looks fragile in its hangar. It is difficult to imagine that this aircraft is soon likely to write a new chapter in aviation progress and human endeavour. Rutan and Yeager want to be the first people to fly around the world non-stop and unrefuelled. The aircraft has now entered a second phase of flight test, and has made ten flights since its new engines were installed. A total of lOOhr has been logged since the aircraft flew to Oshkosh in June 1984, and another 250-350hr are likely to be needed before the world flight. The flight to Oshkosh was far from pleasant. Surrounded by heavy summer thunderstorms, Rutan and Yeager ran into severe turbulence, which stretched Rutan's flying ability and made Jeana Yeager sick, as she lay in the rest area. Airsickness is still a concern, though Rutan believes that, with most of the flight over the ocean, the problem will be reduced. Voyager has captured the public imag ination and highlighted Rutan and Yeager's determination to make aviation history on their own terms. "Everyone should have a dream and strive to reach it. Dreams can be big or small. It doesn't matter." Voyager has been purpose-built with the minimum structure, systems, and aerodynamics necessary to complete the world flight. Prime consideration is for aircraft and crew safety. In the event of a major component failure, the flight will have to be aborted. Voyager would then be flown back to Mojave to be prepared for another attempt. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 8 March 1986
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