GlobalFlyer suffers troublesome fuel loss

Renowned pilot Steve Fossett lost about 750 pounds of fuel, exacerbating concerns that global tailwinds might be too weak to help propel the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer on the longest flight in aviation history.

Mission Control in London said the fuel was lost during the first four hours of the flight, which started at 7:22 a.m. Wednesday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. That amount of fuel is enough to propel the experimental plane for about 1,000 miles and pretty much equals the reserve kept onboard for a round-the-world trip.

"This is a big worry for Steve as this loss will greatly diminish the total number of miles the aircraft can achieve during this flight," Mission Control said in a statement.

The exact cause is not yet known, but the loss might have occurred as a result of a build-up of pressure in the airplane's 13 fuel tanks. The plane's fuel venting system inadvertently dumped 3,088 pounds of fuel during a round-the-world flight last March.

The system was redesigned to prevent a recurrence. However, an initial takeoff attempt was scrubbed Tuesday when fuel leaked from a faulty system gasket. The gasket was replaced before the launch on Wednesday.

Mission Control also reported that temperatures in the GlobalFlyer cockpit reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit during the first several hours of the planned 80-hour flight. The temperatures since have dropped to more comfortable levels, officials said.

Fossett is approaching India this morning. He is flying at an altitide of 47,400 feet and a speed of 323 knots.