Flying-M Ranch
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The Flying-M Ranch is owned by hotel magnate and billionaire Barron Hilton. Located about 60 mi (100 km) south of Reno, Nevada at ( ), it contains an airfield which is the base for many gliding competitions including the biennial Barron Hilton Cup invitational soaring encampment. The surrounding desert offers good thermal soaring conditions. A hangar on the airfield contains about a dozen historical airplanes, which are still airworthy. The runway is 5500 feet x 50 feet. The Ranch covers about 2,200 km2 of surface area in Nevada and California.
The ranch was named the Flying-M by its previous owner, Stanfield Murphy. Mr. Hilton said he did not change the name because his wife, who died in 2004, was named Marilyn.[1]
On September 3, 2007, aviator and adventurer Steve Fossett took off alone from the Flying-M Ranch in a Citabria Super Decathlon, a single-engine two-seater. He never returned. On February 15, 2008 a Cook County (IL) judge granted his wife's petition and declared him legally dead.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Friess, Steve (2007-08-07). Aviator Was Visiting Haven for Fliers and Celebrities. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
- ^ Fox, Margalit (2008-02-15). Steve Fossett, Missing Adventurer, Declared Dead. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.