Virgin Atlantic Announces Launch Site and Mission
Control
for the Virgin Atlantic Globalflyer Record
Attempt
Salina, Kan. December 1, 2004 Virgin Atlantic Airways
today announced that the launch site for the Virgin Atlantic
GlobalFlyer record attempt will be the Salina Municipal (KSLN)
Airport, Kansas, USA. Mission control will also be based in Salina
at Kansas State University at Salina. The record attempt is planned
to take place from early January 2005 dependent on favorable weather
conditions and the route will take the aircraft over cities such as
Chicago, Montreal, London, Paris, Rome, Cairo, Karachi, Shanghai,
Tokyo, Honolulu and Los Angeles.
The Salina Airport Authority will provide Virgin Atlantic and
pilot Steve Fossett access to the Salina Municipal Airport and the
recently remodeled Hanger #703 located at the Salina Aviation
Service Center. The Airport's 12,300 ft. Runway 17/35 will be the
departure and arrival runway for the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer for
the first solo, non-stop around the world flight by Steve
Fossett.
Other support to be provided by the Airport
Authority include airfield security, ground handling, equipment,
access to web cameras and coordination with local, state and
regional news media through the services of Jim Gregory, CEO of
James Gregory Consultancy.
Tim Rogers, executive director for the Salina Airport Authority
(SAA) said "the Salina Municipal Airport is well known as "America's
Fuel Stop." The successful completion of the Virgin Atlantic
GlobalFlyer flight will distinguish the Salina Airport as "The
World's Fuel Stop."
In addition to being the home for the Virgin Atlantic Global
Flyer around the world attempt,
the Salina Municipal
Airport is the home base for seventeen aviation businesses and
organizations including America Jet at SLN, Aerospace Systems &
Technologies, Inc., EagleMed air ambulance, Kansas Wing Headquarters
- Civil Air Patrol, Flower Aviation, Kansas Army National Guard
Aviation Support Facility, Kansas State University at Salina, Kansas
Highway Patrol Aviation, Professional Flight Training, LC, Raytheon
Aircraft Company - Salina Division, Salina Aircraft Services and the
corporate flight departments for ADM Milling Company, Blue Beacon
International, Geoprobe Systems, Plains Environmental, Premier
Pneumatics, Inc., and Bradley Trucking Co.
The SLN Aviation Service Center has available hangar space and
room for growth to accommodate a wide array of aviation related
industries. The SLN Air Traffic Control Tower logs over 85,000
annual aircraft operations. Two FBOs annually deliver over 4.4
million gallons of aviation fuel to the aircraft using the Salina
Municipal Airport. For more information regarding expansion
opportunities at "The SLN Aviation Service Center," contact us at
785.827.3914 or visit the available properties link at
http://www.salinaairport.com today!
Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer
For further information, including pictures, fact sheets and
footage please contact the Virgin Atlantic Press Office on 01293
747373 or log onto the website.
