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Quick Facts
- NAME: Steve Fossett
- OCCUPATION: Business Leader, Pilot
- BIRTH DATE: April 22, 1944
- DEATH DATE: c. September 03, 2007
- EDUCATION: Washington University, St. Louis, Stanford University
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Jackson, Tennessee
- PLACE OF DEATH: Sierra Nevada Mountains, California
- Full Name: James Stephen Fossett
Best Known For
Steve Fossett was an American businessman and adventurer best known for circumnavigating the globe in a hot air balloon in 2002.
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Play NowSteve Fossett. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 12:27, May 20, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/steve-fossett-9542064.
Steve Fossett. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/steve-fossett-9542064 [Accessed 20 May 2013].
"Steve Fossett." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 20 2013, 12:27 http://www.biography.com/people/steve-fossett-9542064.
"Steve Fossett," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/steve-fossett-9542064 [accessed May 20, 2013].
"Steve Fossett," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/steve-fossett-9542064 (accessed May 20, 2013).
Steve Fossett [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 20] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/steve-fossett-9542064.
Steve Fossett, http://www.biography.com/people/steve-fossett-9542064 (last visited May 20, 2013).
Steve Fossett. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/steve-fossett-9542064. Accessed May 20, 2013.
Synopsis
Steve Fossett was an American businessman and adventurer born on April 22, 1944, in Jackson, Tennessee. He was a successful businessman, but was most known for his 116 adventurous feats. Fossett is a record holder for the first solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a hot-air balloon (1995), first solo trip around the world in a hot-air balloon (2002), fastest travel around the globe in a sailboat (2004),
Contents
first solo nonstop journey around the world in an airplane (2005) and highest altitude traveled in a sailplane (2006). In September 2007, Fossett disappeared while flying a plane over the Sierra Nevada. Per the request of his wife, courts declared him dead on February 15, 2008. In October 3, 2008, searchers found his remains in the Sierra Nevada along with wreckage from his plane.
A Successful Businessman and Adventurer
Adventurer James Stephen Fossett, better known as Steve Fossett, was born on April 22, 1944, in Jackson, Tennessee but grew up in Garden Grove, California. Fossett graduated from Stanford University and picked up a master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
He made his fortune trading futures and options on Chicago markets with his brokerage companies Lakota Trading, Inc. and Marathon Securities, Inc. He became famous for pouring his fabulous wealth into more than 100 attempts and successes in setting records in sailing, ballooning, gliders, jets, boats and other daredevil exploits.
He climbed some of the world's tallest peaks, including the Matterhorn in Switzerland and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He also swam the English Channel in 1985. He also placed 47th in the Iditarod dog sled race in 1992 and participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans car race in 1996.
Record-Breaking Feats
His round-the-world balloon attempts in August 1998 and August 2001 were the longest solo flights in a balloon for distance and duration, and, in fact, by any type of aircraft. He made the first balloon crossings of Asia, Africa, Europe and South America, as well as the South Atlantic, South Pacific and Indian Oceans. He also made the first solo flight across the Pacific Ocean.
In July 2002, Fossett was the first person to circumnavigate the globe alone in an unmotorized balloon. The Spirit of Freedom balloon launched from Northam, Australia, and the journey lasted 13 1/2 days. It was Fossett's sixth attempt.
In 2005, he became the first person to fly a plane solo around the world without refueling in 67 hours. He and a co-pilot also claim to have set a world glider altitude record of 50,671 feet during a flight in August 2006 over the Andes Mountains.
He also set round-the-world records for medium weight airplanes, as well as U.S. trans-continental records for non-military aircraft.
In addition, Fossett is the world's most accomplished speed sailor, setting 23 official world records and nine distance race records.
He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in July 2007, telling a crowd gathered at the Dayton Convention Center in Ohio that he would continue flying."I'm hoping you didn't give me this award because you think my career is complete, because I'm not done," Fossett said.
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