2022 Antarctic Flight (74 gear)

[Mendel]

A pilot vlogger is organizing a Flat Earth direct flight from Buenos Aires to Perth on October 20th, 2022, if his Kickstarter for $1.5 million gets funded by June 10th. A ticket costs $10,000, and that does not include transportation to Buenos Aires or from Perth. The flight is expected to take about 16 hours, impossible on Flat Earth.

In 2021 I posted what I thought would be a simple video for the flat earth community for them to prove once and for all that the earth was flat or not. I was wrong, so I have organized a charter to help them prove once and for all the shape of earth. If you still believe the earth is flat, here is your opportunity to find out for yourself: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/impossibleflight/over-the-edge

Source: https://youtu.be/WWhVWmsDlfQ

Spoiler: Kickstarter widget

Source: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/impossibleflight/over-the-edge

See here for an account of a similar scheduled flight (Santiago to Sydney) undertaken in 2016 by @TWCobra : https://www.metabunk.org/threads/a-...ic-sea-ice-from-chile-to-australia-qf28.8235/
Also see https://www.metabunk.org/threads/fl...27-qf28-from-australia-to-south-america.6483/

 

[JMartJr]

Good luck to them. I am not sure they will change any minds with new evidence given the existing overwhelming evidence, but having that rebuttal for the flatists' claims about Antarctica might be very useful in limiting their ability to fool additional people.

 

[FatPhil]

Why introduce extra fuss with multiple countries and visas? Surely flying *around* antarctica and back to your continent of origin would be even more "impossible". Then again, expending any effort to convince the flat-minded seems like probable waste at this stage. If they reject all the pre-existing evidence, why would they not be expected to reject new evidence, as that new evidence will contain no new information that wasn't widely known already?

 

[Mendel]

If they reject all the pre-existing evidence, why would they not be expected to reject new evidence, as that new evidence will contain no new information that wasn't widely known already?

The purpose of this is to shut up the FEers commenting on Kelsey's channel, some of which have apparently bragged to be rich and willing to pay a six-digit sum for such a flight.

If these guys don't sign up for it, it becomes obvious that it was never about evidence or an honest search for truth.

 

[jarlrmai]

It's a James Randi style put up or shut up then.

 

[NorCal Dave]

It's a James Randi style put up or shut up then.

We know how that works. They don't put up and they don't shut up! They'll just come up with some lame excuses about how the whole thing is rigged and keep saying the Earth is flat.

 

[rbtree]

Two weeks in and less than $30,000 pledged. I knew that few if any would show any interest. Too expensive for them, among other things. Most are all talk. Michael Toon covered it in a YT video.

 

[Mendel]

Two weeks in and less than $30,000 pledged. I knew that few if any would show any interest. Too expensive for them, among other things. Most are all talk. Michael Toon covered it in a YT video.

64 people have pledged at the $100+ tier, that's quite some show of interest.
But the lion's share of the money needs to come from the $10,000 tickets, and so far only 2 of these have been "sold". Maybe someone should ask all the FE youtubers to support the project; I wouldn't be surprised if some of the globers already have.

 

[Mendel]

Article:

£42,757 pledged of £1,257,117 goal
202 backers

Funding Unsuccessful
The project's funding goal was not reached on Fri, June 10 2022 2:18 PM BST

Source: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/impossibleflight/over-the-edge

 

[Ann K]

"Thanks, Bob".

 

[Mendel]

the handful that have signed on to that plan to fly down to Antarctica in December

Could you please provide more details on this current endeavour?

 

[MonkeeSage]

Could you please provide more details on this current endeavour?

Will Duffy (a pastor and globe earther) agreed to pay to take a FE debunker and a FE believer on a trip to Antarctica to see and film the 24-hour Sun.

Relevant portions of the FAQ on their website:

What is The Final Experiment?

The Final Experiment is a way to settle the shape of the Earth debate. Both the flat earth side and the globe side agree that whether or not there is a 24-hour sun in Antarctica will confirm if we live on a flat plane or on a globe. A 24-hour sun cannot work on a flat plane in the south. And the sun cannot set on a globe during the southern summer.

Who created The Final Experiment?

The Final Experiment was created by Will Duffy, who pastors a small church outside Denver, Colorado.

Who was invited to participate in The Final Experiment?

24 flat earthers and 24 globe earthers were handpicked to participate in TFE. They were picked as the top representatives of their respective sides. Of these 48 participants, one flat earther and one globe earther will have all expenses paid for their trip to Antarctica this December. The others can join us in Antarctica if they pay their own way.

Source: https://www.the-final-experiment.com/faqs

As one might have predicted, many of the FE leaders (including Nathan Oakley, Eric Dubay, Dave Weiss) have refused the offer and have been back peddling on their claims that that a 24-hour Antarctic Sun is impossible on FE. Jeran Campanella (Jeranism) and Austin Witsitt are the only ones who have agreed to go from the FE side. Jeran actually got a lot of flack from other FEs because he has been consistent and still holds that a 24-hour Antarctic would be a huge problem for FE.

Here's the current list:
https://www.the-final-experiment.com/antarctica-bound

 

[Mendel]

Jeran Campanella (Jeranism) and Austin Witsitt are the only ones who have agreed to go from the FE side.

Jeran is actually doing experiments. I respect every Flat Earther who does, as opposed to those who simply shout over people. (I don't know Witsitt.)

The FE community is pretty good at ostracizing converts (such as Ranty), so it probably won't have too big of an effect, but it's a fun and good thing anyway.

 

[Alytha]

Dave Mc Keegan has started packing.

I really wonder if that's going to convince the die-hard flat-earthers. Just the fact that some of them declined a free(!) trip says a lot.
They'll probably claim it's CGI or something.

 

[Mendel]

I really wonder if that's going to convince the die-hard flat-earthers.

no other evidence has, so it's safe to say it won't

but it'll be interesting to see what the FEers taking part in the trip make of it

 

[jarlrmai]

I always have this optimistic view that they are just people who haven't got out much and experienced the world and a trip like this (which is a huge privilege to be given for free,) where they meet professional people and experience the world and the clever dedicated people who make it what it is and navigate it's natural wonder would somehow open their eyes. But it usually doesn't

 

[Alytha]

Or maybe they're afraid of falling off the edge?
I've always wondered why they don't just hire a ship and go in a straight line in whatever direction has empty ocean ahead and see what happens?

On the other hand, I've recently seen or heard somebody say that if the Earth was flat, there's be a gift shop at the edge by now.
(Can't remember who said that or where, unfortunately).
Something like the whole circus Niagara Falls would be more realistic though, probably.

This always makes me fondly remember Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

 

[Mendel]

I've always wondered why they don't just hire a ship and go in a straight line in whatever direction has empty ocean ahead and see what happens?

This is what I'd think if I was a Flat Earther:

There's the "ice wall", and it is defended by government troops who arrest anyone who tries to enter Antarctica without a permit.

If Flat Earthers go on that trip, they will be brainwashed and made part of the conspiracy, and then their FE audience will turn from them.​

 

[MonkeeSage]

The folks from the final experiment are on their way down to Antarctica. There is a tracker on the website showing where each person currently is. A handful are already in Punta Arenas at the bottom of Chile.

https://www.the-final-experiment.com/

 

[JMartJr]

(Sitting here wishing I'd joined "Team Credulous," as they had such a hard time finding flatists to make the trip, I could well be on my way to Antarctica for free right now...)

 

[Alytha]

Weren't there some theories (meta-conspiracy?) that Mad Mike Hughes also just pretended to be a flat earther so he could continue playing with his rockets?
Didn't end well for him unfortunately
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mad-mi...h-theorist-killed-in-rocket-crash-2020-02-22/

On the one hand, I'd really like to go to Antarctica, but on the other I dislike being cold, and long flights, so...

I hope Dave McKeegan will be able to check in from there, I really like his videos.

And I really want this t-shirt now.

Spoiler

GNU Terry Pratchett