Scaled Composites GlobalFlyer
Scaled Composites · United States · first flew 2004 · light aircraft
Burt Rutan's trimaran that carried Steve Fossett around the world alone, non-stop and unrefuelled in 67 hours — the ultimate expression of fuel-fraction design.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Trimaran: pilot pod slung between two boom fuselages |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Trimaran: pilot pod slung between two boom fuselages
- One small jet perched above the centre pod
- 35-metre sailplane wing for a single seat
Two long booms flank a tiny central pod with a single jet on its back, all joined by a glider wing — a white trident in planform.
Specifications
- The Scaled Composites GlobalFlyer has a length of 13.44 m (44 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 34.75 m (114 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 550 km/h (342 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Funded by Virgin Atlantic, GlobalFlyer flew in 2004 and made the first solo unrefuelled circumnavigation in March 2005; Fossett added an absolute distance record of 41,467 km in 2006. Eighty-three per cent of its take-off weight was fuel.
Variants
One aircraft (N277SF).
Where you'll see it
Hangs in the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center beside its spiritual parent, Voyager.
Related aircraft
- Scaled Composites White Knight Two
- Scaled Composites Proteus
- Rutan Boomerang
- Scaled Composites Model 401
- Epic LT
- Kitfox Series 7
- Quest Kodiak
- Schleicher ASG 29
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