Talk:Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer

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A better picture of the actual plane is needed. The current picture does a poor job of showing what the actual plane looks like. --206.127.177.59 18:35, 4 Mar 2005 (UTC) ''This is the first aircraft using only one jet engine to propel the plane around the world.'' - I thought it was the first jet-powered plane full-stop to fly around the world non-stop? Dan100 23:11, Mar 5, 2005 (UTC) You're right. It is/was. Poleydee

Dan100 and Polyedee are wrong. A B-52 has flown around the world non-stop. The distinctions of the VAGF are that it did it un-refueled, and it did it solo. Also, I dispute the sentence "The GlobalFlyer is the first aircraft designed for an uninterrupted circumnavigation of the globe and unusually, has just a single jet engine" - it is NOT the first aircraft designed for an uninterrupted circumnavigation of the globe - the Voyageur has the distinction. - Paul Tomblin

Designed by Burt Rutan or Scaled Composites?
I don't think Rutan did it all by his lonesome. --Gbleem 12:53, 20 November 2006 (UTC)
 * The answer is "yes". Burt is essentially the head honcho and lead designer at Scaled. It can be considered both a Burt Rutan and a Scaled design. Akradecki 14:37, 20 November 2006 (UTC)


 * I dispute the statement that the craft was designed by Burt Rutan and Scaled Composites. John Roncz was in charge of the aerodynamics design, and he is independent of Rutan and Scaled (but has worked on many Rutan Aircraft Factory designs, several for no pay).  See http://articles.southbendtribune.com/2006-06-26/news/26956115_1_globalflyer-airplane-steven-f-udvar-hazy-center  Also, in Roncz' 2011 Oshkosh lecture, available on YouTube, he claims the L/D is 173:1, not anything close to the Popular Mechanics claim 0f 37:1. 98.81.148.189 (talk)  —Preceding undated comment added 00:26, 16 September 2012 (UTC)

Which way did they fly?
I'm currently doing research on possibly building a solar aircraft to circumnavigate the globe, can anyone tell me which way they flew? Thanks, Eddygazilion 14:40, 5 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Go east, young man! Akradecki 15:06, 5 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Thanks Eddygazilion 01:54, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

Longest aircraft flight?
Techincally, the Space Shuttle IS and aircraft, and by orbiting several times, it definately flies farther than the VAGF, but the VAGF has the longest atmospheric/air-breathing flight. --Alx xlA 02:00, 23 July 2007 (UTC)

Maximum speed discrepancy.
The summary section quotes the average speed of the aircraft 342.2 mph:

The flight speed of 590.7 km/h (342.2 mph) broke the Absolute World Record for the fastest nonstop circumnavigation

Yet the spec sheet states the maxiumum speed as 196 MPH. I suspect that the spec sheet is wrong. No doubt this aircraft flew faster than that, but I have no sources that describe its maximum speed. —Preceding unsigned comment added by K2bumper (talk • contribs) 01:27, 6 October 2008 (UTC)

Also the thrust figure in kN is wrong. It is not 110 kN, but 11 kN —Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.80.98.8 (talk) 17:25, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

A bit more basic than the above - 590.7km/h is not 342.2mph! It's 367.04mph. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.13.121.212 (talk) 19:10, 30 June 2014 (UTC)


 * Flight speed is 590km/h with the help of high-altitude jetstream, but only 400-something on turbine power in still air. The global meteorologic jetsream always blowing at FL350 and similar high alitudes is so powerful, it can easily give a B-747 Jumbo Jet a boost or detriment of 150km/h, depending on which way it flies. 82.131.216.205 (talk) 00:09, 1 November 2014 (UTC)

Longest distance discrepancy
This page says the GlobalFlyer holds the flight distance record, not qualified in any way. However, on this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_Voyager, it says the Voyager flew over 42000 km, though the entire distance was not "accredited by the FAI". Either the GlobalFlyer does not hold the record, or it holds the accredited record. Either way, this should be fixed in this article. I'm not an aviation person at all. 146.6.201.220 (talk) 00:06, 8 December 2009 (UTC)

Circumnavigation Record Still Not Broken in Air Miles
By my calculations, no one has circumnavigated the earth in air miles. The record flights thus far, though impressive achievements, have relied upon large tailwinds, flying eastbound, to circumnavigate the world. The equatorial circumference is 24,901.55 miles (21,638.86 nm) - and meridional circumference (aka polar) is 24,859.82 miles (21,602.59 nm). Flying such a zero-wind equivalent distance (ZWED) should be what is required to be the first to meaningfully circumnavigate the earth with a powered airplane. GlobalFlyer came very close in air miles, but as the saying goes, "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades." If someone feels they can show that either GlobalFlyer or Voyager, in any of their flights, flew over 21,600 nm in air miles, please explain your calculation (this request extends to Burt Rutan, as well). — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bdmwiki (talk • contribs) 17:59, 30 January 2012 (UTC)