Friday, March 4—Steve Fossett has circled the world once again. This time, the 60-year-old record-breaker became the first person to fly solo and nonstop around the globe. He arrived where he began, 23,000 miles later, in Salina, Kansas, at 2:49 p.m. ET on Thursday.

"It's something I've wanted to do for a long time," said Fossett as he climbed out of the plane. "It has been a major ambition of mine."

Fossett began his quest in 2002, when he became the first solo balloonist to float around the globe. Last year, he and a crew sailed across Earth's oceans in 58 days. His latest trek took almost three near-sleepless days to complete.

He made the trip aboard the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, a single-engine plane half the wingspan of a 747. For awhile, it looked as though Fossett would run out of fuel and have to land the plane in Hawaii. But he ran into some good luck: a strong tailwind.

"Let's go for it," he told his mission controllers.

His friend and mission sponsor, Richard Branson, predicted that Fossett would complete the flight even if he ran out of fuel. "Knowing Steve, if he runs out of fuel short of the airport, he's one of the world's best glider pilots," he said.

He didn't have to glide. Fossett's landing was smooth, using parachutes attached to the plane to slow its momentum. He was greeted by a cheering crowd.

Fossett will have trouble topping his latest trip, but he'll probably try. Among his 62 world records: the world record for the most world records.

Global Flyer: The Team
Visit the official Web site of Steve Fossett and the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer team to learn more about Fossett's trip and other world records.

Steve Fossett Challenges
Visit Steve Fossett's official Web site to learn more about his adventures.