Stratolaunch jet with 117-metre wingspan takes off for first flight

**David48atTD** · 14-04-2019, 12:09 PM

A giant six-engine aircraft with the world's longest wingspan completed what company officials called a successful initial flight over California's Mojave Desert, bringing to life a dream held by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
Key points:

The plane has a 117-metre wingspan, longer than any other aircraft in the world
The plane is designed to launch satellites from the air, avoiding the limitations of fixed launch sites
The aircraft was built by a company owned by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen

Jean Floyd, Stratolaunch Systems chief executive, said the aircraft made a "spectacular" landing that was on the mark.
Stratolaunch, which was founded by Mr Allen, is vying to be a contender in the market for air-launching small satellites. He died in October.

Maybe just fast forward to the 2.00 mark if you don't need to watch pilots doing slow-mos

More here

Awesome and Amazing

**Takeovers** · 14-04-2019, 12:28 PM

Yes an impressive plane. We will see if it ever does something worth doing. Unfortunately the founder and funder of Stratolaunch, Billionaire Paul Allan, has died recently and the plan to develop a rocket to launch from it was cancelled.

**Buckaroo Banzai** · 14-04-2019, 01:12 PM

How is this the largest plane in the world? What i see are two planes attached at the wing.

**Dragonfly** · 14-04-2019, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by Takeovers

Yes an impressive plane. We will see if it ever does something worth doing. Unfortunately the founder and funder of Stratolaunch, Billionaire Paul Allan, has died recently and the plan to develop a rocket to launch from it was cancelled.

maybe not, the trust managing his money was instructed to carry all financing of all his projects. I know this directly from an insider. The transition is going to take a while because his fortune is massive (paying the biggest inheritance tax ever). The silly hysterical sister might be temporary cancelling shit, but only in the transition period. He already had fired her before, yet he named her executioner for the transition. What a mistake.

**Takeovers** · 14-04-2019, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

How is this the largest plane in the world? What i see are two planes attached at the wing.

It is one plane with two bodies. A catamaran has to bodies and is still one ship.

**Switch** · 14-04-2019, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

maybe not, the trust managing his money was instructed to carry all financing of all his projects. I know this directly from an insider. The transition is going to take a while because his fortune is massive (paying the biggest inheritance tax ever). The silly hysterical sister might be temporary cancelling shit, but only in the transition period. He already had fired her before, yet he named her executioner for the transition. What a mistake.

**Lantern** · 15-04-2019, 09:25 AM

Wonder why the two tail wings are not connected. Would have to be stronger, surely.

**Takeovers** · 17-06-2019, 11:31 PM

The plane is now for sale. Ask price $400 million. They will be lucky if they get the scrap metal price.

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