SpaceShipOne and XPrize

In article , Kyler Laird wrote:
One of the most impressive parts of the CNN coverage that I saw was the
background during the landing. There were *big* jets parked all over.
It struck me as being an atypical spacecraft landing site. I liked it.

It's also an airliner scrapyard/mothball yard. There are airliners
from many airlines, mainly complete apart from engines. Maybe 100 of
them.

When Xcor did their Ez-Rocket unveiling in late 2001, I flew there with
a couple of friends. Whilst waiting for the Xcor presentation to start,
a B727 on its last flight arrived. First, we thought it was going to do
a low pass over us and buzz us as it was a good 45deg off runway
heading. Then, engines howling, it made quite a steep turn less than 1
wingspan above the ground, aligned with the runway and flared at the
same time, then touched down. I didn't realise a B727 was that
manoevrable. Way cool.

--
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net
"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"