Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly an airplane non-stop around the world solo without refueling.

James Stephen Fossett was an American businessman and a record-setting aviator, sailor, and adventurer. He was the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon and in a fixed-wing aircraft. He made his fortune in the financial services industry and held world records for five nonstop circumnavigations of the Earth: as a long-distance solo balloonist, as a sailor, and as a solo flight fixed-wing aircraft pilot.

March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 303 days remain until the end of the year.