Route of Voyager : Estimated 9 a.m. PST position

Day 1. Wing tips scrape ground during take-off, nearly aborting flight. “If it was easy, it would have been done a long time ago,” Yeager says.

Day 2. Voyager catches light tailwinds over the Pacific.

Day 3. Plane threads way between two tropical storms, getting a boost from winds on the fringe of Typhoon Marge. But Rutan has to make a U-turn to avoid severe turbulence.

Day 4. Fear of insufficient fuel develops. Second engine is shut down to conserve fuel. But Africa and

more stormy weather loom.

Day 5. Voyager passes halfway mark. Concern arises that engine noise may impair pilots’ hearing.

Day 6. Plane climbs to 18,000 feet to go over mountains and storms in East Africa. Aerodynamic stall tests allay concern over fuel shortage. Smooth weather is predicted for Atlantic crossing.

Day 7. Engine begins to overheat because pilots forgot to add oil. An unforeseen thunderstorm flips plane

on its side, forcing Voyager to backtrack 60 miles to skirt it.

Day 8. Some concern about fuel lingers. A surprise storm causes Rutan to temporarily lose control of Voyager.

Day 9. Plane encounters 15 miles per hour headwinds along the Mexican coast, but progresses steadily down the homestrech.

Day 10. Engine conks out briefly, but Voyager makes perfect landing at Edwards Air Force Base.