Event Honoring Adventurer Steve Fossett Will Continue in His Absence

While flying small planes has become routine for many whether for business or pleasure, some pilots "push the envelope" and circle the world, soar without power on updrafts and winds, or test the limits of human and aeronautical achievement. They are living reminders of the possibilities on Earth, the challenges that can be met by human beings. On November 2, 2007, the "Wings Over the Rockies" museum in Denver, Colorado will hold its 2007 "Spreading Wings" gala, honoring the life and accomplishments of adventurer Steve Fossett. Planned in March, according to the museum's website, the event may take place without Mr. Fossett, who has been missing for over a month after a personal flight scouting locations for a land-speed record attempt, over rough terrain in Nevada.

The event is presented by Barron Hilton, head of Hilton Hotels and grandfather of Paris Hilton. Barron is considered the "patron saint of sport aviation," according to the website of the Flying-M ranch, a gathering place for top aviators where Mr. Hilton hosts exchanges of experience and wisdom. Mr. Hilton himself has had a lifelong passion for aviation, beginning as many do, watching the takeoffs and landings at a local field, Dallas' love field, followed by flight training in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Invitations to Mr. Hilton's soaring camp are received by meeting aviation challenges, and are prized.

The Flying-M ranch, located in Nevada, has sent out numerous planes to assist in the search and rescue effort, which was conducted by Civil Air Patrol for a month as well, and also includes specialized sonar for searching bodies of water, analysis of radar traces and satellite imaging of the area including volunteer efforts using resources on the Internet, and crews searching possible locations on the ground, according to Sign On San Diego's website.

Steve Fossett, who has set over a hundred records with sixty still unbroken according to Wikipedia, made a fortune in commodities training, and set out to meet personal challenges throughout the world, including swimming the English Channel, running Alaska's Iditarod sled race, flying around the world in a hot-air balloon, and scaling many of the world's highest peaks, along with a large number of aviation records. While his disappearance was during a routine flight, flying organizations such as AOPA work hard to maintain the high standards and exceptional safety that general aviation enjoys, making sure pilots are well educated and informed, both in personal skills and in the use of the complex national aviation navigation system. With his survival skills and aviation knowledge, observers note that Steve Fossett has a better chance of enduring this event than most.

Steve's wife, Peggy Fossett, plans to attend the gala and receive the Spreading Wings award in her husband's absence. Many famous aviation pioneers are planning to attend as well, including Carl Williams, Burt Rutan, Chuck Yeager, Barrington Irving, Barron Hilton and Sir Richard Branson. The aviation community is praying and also continuing to search for him, and the celebration of his amazing life at the Spreading Wings gala will be particularly poignant in any case.

http://www.wingsmuseum.org/
http://barronhiltoncup.org/h-barron.html
http://www.stevefossett.com/
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20070925-1935-stevefossett.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Fossett
http://www.aopa.org/