UPSC Prelims 2007 Q18: Current Affairs – Notable Personalities
How is Steve Fossett known?
- (a) As a crocodile hunter
- (b) For completing the longest non - stop flight around the globe
- (c) For swimming across the Atlantic Ocean
- (d) For climbing Mt. Everest without any co - climber
Answer: (b) For completing the longest non - stop flight around the globe
Explanation
Steve Fossett's achievement
| Claim | Correct? |
|---|---|
| Crocodile hunter | No |
| Longest non-stop flight around the globe | Yes — GlobalFlyer, 2005 |
| Swam across the Atlantic | No |
| Climbed Everest alone | No |
Steve Fossett completed the first solo, non-stop, non-refuelled flight around the globe in 2005, flying the GlobalFlyer aircraft — a record-setting aviation achievement.
Answer: (b) For completing the longest non-stop flight around the globe.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. He was not a crocodile hunter.
- (b) CORRECT. Fossett completed the longest non-stop flight around the globe (GlobalFlyer, 2005).
- (c) Incorrect. He did not swim across the Atlantic.
- (d) Incorrect. He did not climb Mt. Everest without a co-climber.
Key point
Steve Fossett: first solo non-stop flight around the globe (GlobalFlyer, 2005).
Remember
Steve Fossett: record solo non-stop flight around the globe.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Fossett's aviation record with ballooning records held by other adventurers.
- Mixing him up with mountaineers or ocean-crossing record holders.
- Not recalling the specific aircraft name, GlobalFlyer.
Exam tip
Steve Fossett = GlobalFlyer, solo non-stop round-the-world flight.
Sources
- Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) — World Records: Steve Fossett, first solo non-stop circumnavigation by aeroplane (Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, 2005)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Steve Fossett