SALINA, Kan., March 2 (UPI) -- Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett will try to cross the Pacific Ocean and reach Hawaii despite fuel problems, mission control officials told CNN Wednesday.
"Based on the information provided to him, Steve has decided he will fly at least to Hawaii," said project manager Paul Moore. "He will then make a further decision at that stage as to whether he feels comfortable and confident to fly beyond Hawaii towards the west coast of the U.S."
"Confident isn't the right word to use now," Fossett said via satellite radio as the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer flew over the Pacific during the second day of his attempt to become the first person to fly alone, non-stop around the Earth.
The GlobalFlyer team monitoring the flight at Kansas State University said Fossett lost an estimated 2,600 pounds of fuel and a decision on whether to abort the 23,000-mile flight would come late Wednesday.
Fossett, the first person to circumnavigate the planet solo in a balloon, took off from the Salina Municipal Airport in Kansas Monday evening, hoping to land back at the same airport Thursday.
