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After twelve full days the search continues for missing adventurer Steve Fossett. The focus of the search has been narrowed to a fifty mile radius of the Flying M Ranch. As posted on Fossett’s blog, “It is now believed that Steve Fossett was unlikely to have ventured far afield (such as crossing the Sierra Nevada range), but that he was more likely to have been on a local pleasure flight - and that he probably was not surveying sites for the upcoming land speed record project.”
Based on Steve's known movements, plans and the aircraft's capabilities, the search is now primarily focused on a 30 - 50 mile radius of the ranch, with some members of the search team convinced he is even closer.”
The aircraft's last confirmed position on Monday (3 September) at approximately 10:30 A.M. local time showed Steve west of Powell Canyon (south of Walker Lake and southwest of Hawthorne), proceeding east towards the canyon. This location is less than 30 miles SE from his point of departure / expected arrival. Steve was expected to return to the ranch around 11:00 - 11:30 AM. Although the Super Decathlon is capable of good performance at sea level, the predicted aircraft speed and climb rate must be adjusted down for the density altitude of this area in summer. The search has enlisted thousands who through satellite imagery are searching pixel by pixel for Fossett. Internet satellite image analysis: 'The 'Amazon Mechanical Turk' internet-based satellite image analysis project continues in its efforts to find Steve. To offer your help, please go to:
http://www.mturk.com/mturk/preview?groupId=9TSZK4G35XEZJZG21T60&kw=Flash
There you will be shown sample images of a similar aircraft and an actual recent single satellite image to review. You will be asked to note if there are any objects that resemble an airplane (or a damaged airplane) like the Super Decathlon Steve was flying on Monday. Please file your report through Amazon Mechanical Turk - they will vet and cross reference your findings and contact us if information is pertinant. The task is to flag any satellite images which contain foreign objects that may resemble Steve's airplane or parts of a plane. Steve's plane will show up as a regular object with sharp edges, white or nearly white, about 21 pixels long and 30 pixels in wingspan. Searchers are keeping their fingers crossed but without water survival after several days in the desert is unlikely. |
