UAF Mechanical Engineering Alumni Randy Thomas and his company Paratech Parachutes created the drag chutes for the world record setting plane the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer. The drag chutes are used to slow the plane down for approach and landing, and for emergency decent from high altitudes. These drag chutes have now flown non-stop around the world three times. They have also been recognized with a certificate signed by aerospace engineer Burt Rutan and chief test pilot Jon Karkow.
The Global Flyer has set the following world records:
- The First Solo Non-Stop Airplane Flight Round the World
- Absolute Non-Stop RTW Speed Record
- The Longest Distance Aircraft Flight - The Absolute Non-Stop Distance Record
- Absolute World Record Distance Over a Closed Circuit Without Landing
The Global Flyer was funded by Billionaire Richard Branson's company Virgin Atlantic Airline, and designed and created by Burt Rutan's company Scaled Composites. World famous adventurer Steve Fossett was the pilot for the first flight of this aircraft around the world, which landed on March 3rd, 2005.
This single engine jet aircraft is now located in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum along with the drag chutes used in the flights. The Global Flyer is noted as a groundbreaking research aircraft that helped push the edge of aerospace design and construction. |
