Fossett takes aim at another aviation record

? Adventurer Steve Fossett is setting his sights on another aviation record, and once again using Kansas as a launching pad.

Fossett will attempt a third record-setting flight in the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer this month, officials from the National Aeronautic Assn. and Kansas State University said Wednesday.

This time, the 61-year-old Fossett will attempt to break the closed-circuit distance record of 40,212 kilometers – or roughly 24,931 miles – set in 1986 by Richard Rutan. In a closed-circuit flight, a craft takes off and lands at the same location.

Art Greenfield of the National Aeronautic Assn., a nonprofit aviation group, said the flight could launch as early as next week, weather permitting. The association is in the process of sanctioning the attempt, which will take off and land at Salina, with Kansas State’s aviation school playing a major role.

Students and faculty will run everything from maintenance to mission control, which will be at the school’s College Center.

In March 2005, Fossett traveled 23,000 miles when he completed the world’s first solo nonstop flight around the world. The attempt took off from Salina and lasted 67 hours, but was hampered by a fuel leak that threatened to cut short the flight.