Prepares For Crossing

The Vimy Atlantic Project announced the arrival of Steve Fossett in St. John's Newfoundland where he joined Mark Rebholtz to prepare for their historic attempt at crossing the Atlantic. Fossett and Rebholtz are readying the aircraft and analyzing weather forecasts to determine if conditions will allow for a departure on this coming weekend. (File Photo)

The original voyage, flown by John Alcock, and Arthur Whitten Brown on June 14, 1919 in the original Vickers Vimy, was recognized as the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight.

The projected course passes over St. John's Harbor, the Narrows, and Signal Hill, historic St. John's landmarks, on a course heading due east. Arrival in Clifden is expected approximately 18-20 hours after take-off. The landing location will be the Connemara Championship Golf Links in Clifden, County Galway, Ireland.

The Vimy replica has already completed the first two legs of the "Vimy Triple Crown", historic flights that helped demonstrate the viability of commercial aviation, by successfully flying the 15,000 mile route from England to Australia in 1994, and the 9,000 mile journey from London to Cape Town in 1999.

As in the original flight, Rebholz will navigate the Atlantic crossing guided only by a sextant and compass - instruments available to the crew in 1919. Fossett will pilot the wood and canvas plane at a speed of only 75 miles per hour.

The flight of the Vimy across the Atlantic intrigued Fossett because it will add an historical milestone element to his long list of adventures in the air and at sea.

National Geographic magazine's website will be the official site for the Vickers Vimy's transatlantic voyage. Live images from four onboard cameras will be posted to the National Geographic website following take-off.

The completion of the "Triple Crown" has been a twelve year labor of love for the Vimy team, a consortium of impassioned aviation buffs, led by San Franciscan, Peter McMillan, who assembled the team that created the Vimy replica, and who has piloted it on previous voyages.

McMillan says it best; "From an ambitious dream in 1993, this primitive flying machine has now cast her graceful shadow over most of the Earth, as did her predecessors in the early days of aviation. Wherever she has traveled, she radiates the spirit of the pioneers and reminds us all that adventure leads the path to progress. Seeing the sunrise on the hills of Ireland will be her crowning moment."

FMI: www.ngm.com/vimy