Now that the air search for Steve Fossett has been called off, at least one longtime friend has stepped forward to pay tribute to the life of the millionaire adventurer. Writing for Time, Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson praises Fossett’s seemingly indefatigable pioneer spirit. “He began adventuring in a modest way, swimming the English Channel in 1985, “ Branson recalls. “Over the next 22 years, he amassed 115 records in aviation, gliding, ballooning, sailing, boating, mountaineering, skiing, triathlon, even dogsledding. He truly was the adventurer’s adventurer.”

Branson goes on to credit Fossett for setting a new standard for fuel-efficient aviation technology during his circumnavigation of the globe in an ultralight high-altitude jet, now on display in the Smithsonian. “Passengers on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which is expected to burn 30% less fuel than today’s jets, will have a lot to thank Steve for,” he notes.

I hadn’t followed Fossett’s career closely, so I was surprised to learn the breadth of his record-breaking. In an era when “adventure racing” is routinely practiced by 40-somethings looking to salve middle age malaise, it seems Fossett was an original, pushing the envelope to his last day. A Time slide show accompanies Branson’s homage.

Related on World Hum:
* Search Under Way for Adventurer Steve Fossett
* The Search for Steve Fossett: Why Are They Finding So Many ‘Uncharted Plane Wrecks’?
* Around the World Update: Fossett Returns, and So Does Bly