Plane Carrying Aviation Adventurer Steve Fossett Missing, page 9

I just saw this and thought I'd share: Nevada Bermuda Triangle. They barely mention Fossett, but the circumstances are similar.

Also, as a pilot myself who has flown the area, I'm sure Steve was equally well aware of his proximity to the large delineations of restricted airspace in that region. I can't imagine him having 'strayed' into, say, the Groom Lake area, and got himself into trouble. The many threads on ATS and elsewhere have long publicized the "shoot first - ask no questions - make no announcements" policy of the EG&G goons or our own men-in-blue.

There has been lots of 'scare-talk' about those that dare "cross-the-line" never being heard from again. Does the ethereal line-in-the sky also fall under such a policy? (it does). As John related previously about his adventures with Lazar, the guys guarding the perimeter definitely implement their mandate very seriously.

Since we haven't heard from Mr. Fossett, his plane, or his transponder since he vanished, permit a bit of speculation: Fossett, like Branson and others involved in emerging technologies, was (is) not only a world-class adventurer , but also an ace pilot, a dreamer, and a visionary. I can imagine him sharing a nice scotch or two one evening with Branson a few weeks back and the conversation turning to their own future, their insatiable curiosity, seeming invincibility, and the coincidence of their relative proximity to A51, etc.

Since S-4 sits on the edge of a dry lake bed (Papoose), and the adventurers have a burning desire to glimpse the latest and greatest potential aeronautical technology, why not take a little flight down thataway under the guise of "looking for a suitable dry lake bed", claim to see Papoose from the air and just "neglect to glance at the aeronautical charts" for restriction polygons, drift in a for a little look-see, hmmm? (Oh - and let's skip the flight plan, shall we?)

To the A51 sentries, the plane (a small Bellanca 2-seater aerobat) is just another civilian violator without a flight plan. Steve, with that kind of plane and his flying skills, once confronted, decides to high-tail it out of the area, maybe barnstorm a few canyons to lose 'em on the way out. After all - it would not look good for him and his buddies if he was caught, and he hasn't done anything wrong, really - was just scouting dry lake beds, is all...

Steve makes a run back to the northwest (Hawthorne is about 150 miles NW from A51 - an hour or two in a Bellance) followed by patrols commanding him down.

A mishap of some sort ensues, and a clean-up is ordered (or if far enough, just left 'to-be-discovered later). Subsequent silence, part of the blackout M.O., keeps everyone guessing for weeks.

OK, it's just a wild theory, I know. But with this man's background and the complete lack of any trace by hundreds of volunteers in the air and on the ground point to either: 1 - Steve has fallen (been pushed) under the radar, or 2 - Steve doesn't want to be found.

If the first scenario is closer, then we may find a couple of truckloads of Bellanca wreckage suddenly show up in some obscure canyon before long.

If the second scenario is closer, we wish you well, Steve Fossett. God's Speed.

By the way, there are dozens of dry lake beds on a line between the Flying M southeast to Groom Lake (but not many suitable to a LSR)...

Maybe the CAP and others should try searching within the yellow ellipse below:

[edit - fix link]

[edit on 9/13/2007 by Outrageo]