Thank The Year Of The Dog

Pilot Steve Fossett's quest to undergo the longest non-stop flight in history is on hold once again. This time around, however, it's not weather or technical problems that are keeping the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer on the ground at Kennedy Space Center.

It's the Year of the Dog.

Chinese New Year festivities got underway this weekend, and Virgin Atlantic was unable to obtain the needed overflight permits from China in time for Fossett to begin the round-the-world-and-then-some flight.

"The procedure is to get an overflight permit in advance for every country which I cross," Mr Fossett told BBC News.

The next opportunity, Fossett added, to begin the "Ultimate Flight" is next Monday, February 6... but that, of course, will be dependent on anticipated winds and other weather along the planned route.

The journey, expected to take about 80 hours to complete, will follow an easterly route spanning more than 27,000 miles -- or roughly 1,000 more miles than needed to break the current record distance set by the Voyager aircraft in 1986.

Fossett will cross the Atlantic twice, once just after takeoff from Florida and then a second time before landing at Kent International Airport, outside of London.

The adventurer said there have been few changes made to the GlobalFlyer in preparation of the record attempt -- but one change is quite notable.

"The most important change is the fuel venting system," Fossett told the BBC. "I was very lucky to make it around the world on the first solo considering that I had lost fuel during the climb."

"So we hope that's corrected," Fossett added.

FMI: www.globalflyer.com