Millionaire breaks nonstop solo flight record

After covering 37,000km in 67 hours, Steve Fossett was ready for a bath, a good meal and a nap. First, though, he had some champagne to sip.

The millionaire adventurer on Thursday became the first person to fly around the world alone without stopping or refueling. He completed his journey in the same place he started it, here in this north central Kansas town of more than 46,000. Tens of thousands were at the airport to watch him land his custom-built GlobalFlyer.

"Believe me, it's great to be back on the ground," Fossett said. "It's one of the hardest things I've ever done."

At times, it seemed Fossett would not to achieve what he described as "my ambition." Problems with the jet's fuel system forced Fossett to consider cutting his trip short. But he relied on his engineering wizards to help him return safely to Kansas. Unsure of just how much fuel the adventurer had, the team followed a pink line plotting Fossett's progress.

"It would not have been possible without the right people being associated with the project," Fossett said. "I am very lucky, I got to achieve my ambition."

Fossett celebrated with his crew members and supporters Thursday night in Salina.

Fossett, 60, who failed five times before successfully circumnavigating the globe solo in a balloon, needed just one try to make the trip in a plane. He holds many other records as a balloonist, pilot and sailor.

The GlobalFlyer, designed by the same engineer who came up with the Voyager aircraft that first completed the trip in 1986 with two pilots aboard, touched down on the center line at the Salina airport at 1:50pm Thursday.

Immediately after leaving the cockpit, a jubilant Fossett hugged his wife, Peggy, and was congratulated by Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Atlantic founder who financed the flight.

"That was something I wanted to do for a long time, a major ambition," Fossett said.

Branson grabbed a bottle of champagne from Fossett, shook it up and sprayed down the pilot.

Fossett said he survived on 12 milkshakes and water during the flight. He said his main problems were headaches, which went away when he drank water, and a lack of sleep. Fossett used bottles as his bathroom.

He said he was overwhelmed by the number of people who welcomed him at the airport and who had followed the flight on the news. But he insisted his adventures were not publicity stunts.

"I would do these things if nobody was paying attention," Fossett said.

The flight looked as though it would end Wednesday before crossing the Pacific. Engineers at mission control in Kansas determined the GlobalFlyer lost 1,180kg of the original 8,210kg of jet fuel. The loss took Fossett's jet down to the bare minimum needed to return to Kansas.

Branson and Fossett agreed the fuel most likely was syphoned off through vents on the two main boom tanks during the early stages of the flight.

Facing a decision near Hawaii about whether to land or press ahead over the vast Pacific Ocean for the US mainland, Fossett told his team, "Let's go for it." Hours later, pushed by strong tail winds that left him with enough in the tanks to finish the global trek, he safely crossed over Los Angeles.

Fossett chose Salina because he needed a long runway for the takeoff and landing. The runway in Salina -- once used to train World War II bomber crews -- extends 3,750m.