Read all my GlobalFlyer blog posts here: my story is here.
I'm just out of another presser with Branson, project manager Paul Moore, chief engineer Jon Karkow of Scaled Composites and mission controller Kevin Stass. Pilot Steve Fossett wasn't there - he was having a sleep, according to Branson, although how anyone about to try such a feat could have the composure for a cat nap escapes me. Takeoff still looks set for around 5pm local time, 11.30pm GMT.
Stass said the route had been finalised, and aside from a small problem with Algeria, which had apparently "activated a danger area" - something that Stass said happens all the time - meaning a change in the flight path had been necessary to avoid an area the Algerians consider to be militarily sensitive. Meanwhile the Libyans were falling over themselves to help out Stass and his team.
"The phone rang and there was this a guy from Tripoli who wanted to help any way he could and he issued a permit straight away", he said.
During takeoff I shall be beside the runway, with any luck getting video footage on my Sony Handycam of GlobalFlyer flying off into the blue yonder. Or stuttering to a halt. Or something much, much worse. My plan is write a quick blog, then update the main story, then process the video which I'll add to the blog. My colleague from the Guardian newspaper, Richard Jinman, will be filing a separate story that should make it into the later editions of tomorrow morning's Guardian.
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