Godspeed, Steve Fossett

Reports today say millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett has gone missing after going airborne from a private airstrip on Monday morning.

Fossett has set 93 Aviation World Records and 23 sailing world records in his various journeys to accomplish what no other human being has before. Most notably in my mind was Fossett's completion of the first solo non-stop flight around the world in his Global Flyer in 2006, assisted by a crew from my alma mater, Kansas State University.

Anyone who can spend more than 20 hours in any plane has the tip of my hat. Fossett was up in the air for more than 67 hours on Global Flyer.

The always intriguing Fossett has also broken 11 world records for gliders, of which four still stand today. Not bad for a former commodities broker.

Overall, Fossett has set more than 115 records in five different sports. He is also one of the most recognizable members of the modern Explorers Club.

Some people might think you have to be crazy to do the sorts of things Fossett has done. I don't necessarily disagree, but I can't argue with crazy in the name of human achievement, especially when the only people he puts in harm's way are himself and his willing crew.

But I think whatever the outcome of this current event, Fossett can be viewed as a positive figure rather than how some would characterize him: a careless, eccentric millionaire who pushed things to the limit one time too many.

It's no secret that Fossett has done so many of these things for his own reasons � "I've never tired from the satisfaction of getting to the top of a mountain" � but is a person of great personal achievement so bad a character for the impressionable to look to for inspiration?



Godspeed, Steve Fossett, wherever you are.