On 2007-09-12 13:57, Rolf Blom wrote:
On 2007-09-12 08:36, Montblack wrote:
("mitcheroo" wrote)
At any rate, the kind of flat areas Fossett wanted to scout appear to be
found *east* of the Flying M, for the most part.


Yeah, *east* ...like on the Nevada/Utah border.

This has been bugging me since the first reports came out: If you want to
set a land speed record of some sort, what's wrong with using the Bonneville
Salt Flats? Why do you need to "scout" out other locations?


According to his own website, the plan was to go to Bonneville.
Something changed there, preventing the use of it?

A quote from his own site on 13th Aug:
http://www.stevefossett.com/

"Both driver and crew are eagerly looking forward to bringing the
turbojet-powered streamliner to the famed Boneville salt flats for a
series of shakedown tests beginning 26 September."

Updated with the statement from 11th Sept on the same page:

Quote from site:
"It is now believed that Steve Fossett was unlikely to have ventured far
afield (such as crossing the Sierra Nevada range), but that he was more
likely to have been on a local pleasure flight - and that he probably
was not surveying sites for the upcoming landspeed record project.
Based on Steve's known movements, plans and the aircraft's capabilities,
the search is now primarily focused on a 30 - 50 mile radius of the
ranch, with some members of the search team convinced he is even closer.

The aircraft's last confirmed position on Monday (3 September) at
approximately 10:30 A.M. local time showed Steve west of Powell Canyon
(south of Walker Lake and southwest of Hawthorne), proceeding east
towards the canyon. This location is less than 30 miles SE from his
point of departure / expected arrival. Steve was expected to return to
the ranch around 11:00 - 11:30 AM. Although the Super Decathlon is
capable of good performance at sea level, the predicted aircraft speed
and climb rate must be adjusted down for the density altitude of this
area in summer."