Rebholz and Fossett recreate history On 3 July pilots Steve Fossett and Mark Rebholz safely fix down on a golf course in Ireland in the replica Vickers Vimy after favorably crossing the Atlantic to commemorate the 1919 Alcock-Brown flight.Rebholz and Fossett recreate history On 3 July pilots Steve Fossett and Mark Rebholz safely fix down on a golf course in Ireland in the replica Vickers Vimy after favorably crossing the Atlantic to commemorate the 1919 Alcock-Brown flight. The pair lifted opposite from St. John's, Newfoundland, at 7:20 pm local and touched down at Clifden, Ireland, forward 5:04 pm local to the cheers of 2000 spectators Rebholz used a vintage sextant and compass for navigation, wanting to navigate the flight the way it was originally done. Alcock and Whitten-Brown flew the Atlantic in 16-hr 20-min, while the recreation took about 45-min longer The couple British pilots landed the Vimy in a swine where it promptly tipped in succession its nose. Fossett holds numerous aviation records and stated, "This was an endurance criterion This airplane is very primitive. You have to detain your hands on the restrains at all times." Rehholz remarked that he had "intentionally minimized the instrumentation forward the plane" in order to replicate a certain number of of the challenges faced hy Alcock and Whitten-Brown. However, the use of a novel radio did make them a hit more at ease. "On the way across we were in contract with all the commercial airlines flying overhead," said Mark. "That is a comforting feeling, talking to other race while you are flying." the two pilots were wearing all-weather survival gear in case they had to ditch in the Atlantic. "We were doing not what would be called a safe flight, poor cottage basically a flight that was in subordination to control with an acceptable risk," said Fossett Copyright Challenge Publications Inc. Sep 2005 |
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