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Around the World Ballooning Flights

Updated: 25 July 2002

This interesting review of around the world ballooning attempts was compiled by: Hans Akerstedt, Vice-President, FAI Ballooning Commission, for a request by National Geographic magazine.

Project, Attempt and Flight Numbering

Projects: (Project numbering): To keep track of the history, each project has been given a number. This number is attached to the assigned commander of the planned flight. Changes in crew, sponsor or balloon does not affect this number. When Per Lindstrand/Richard Branson joined with Steve Fossett and changed main sponsor, the new project was however given a new number. The projects are listed in order of first appearance. Then the project development is listed in chronological order within each project.

Attempts: When a project has progressed to a point when an actual launch has been possible this has been counted as an attempt. The attempts are numbered in strict chronological order without regard to the project number.

Flights: All actual flights are also numbered in strict chronological order without regard to the project number.

The following is a chronological list of flights announced as Around the World attempts.

1/11/81

Maxie Anderson USA

"Jules Verne". Luxor, Egypt to Hansa, India

Flight no: 1

Crew:

Don Ida

Balloon:

AA Gas Balloon

Distance/Duration:

2 676 miles --- 4 306 km --- 48 hours

12/20/81

Maxie Anderson USA

"Jules Verne". India.

Flight no: 2

Crew:

Don Ida

Balloon:

AA Gas Balloon

.

Distance/Duration:

20 miles --- 32 km

11/7/82

Maxie Anderson USA

"Jules Verne". Stratobowl, Rapid City, South Dakota to Midland, Ontario, Canada

Flight no: 3

Crew:

Don Ida

Balloon:

AA Gas Balloon

Distance/Duration:

1 162 miles --- 1 870 km --- 16 hours

1/12/93

Larry Newman USA

"Virgin-Earthwinds" 2nd attempt fails after 12 miles due to lack of lift. Reno, Nevada. Most expensive balloon project ever.

Flight no: 4

Crew:

Vladimir Dzhanibehov, Don Moses

Balloon:

AA15 Raven. Gas Balloon with Anchor Balloon. 1 100 000 cu ft / 31 150 m3 helium and 550 000 / 15 575 m3 cold air.

.

Distance/Duration:

12 miles --- 19 km

1/12/94

Larry Newman USA

"Earthwinds Hilton." 4th attempt failed after 200 miles from Reno in wrong direction. Frozen valve in anchor balloon.

Flight no: 5

Crew:

Richard Abruzzo, David Melton, Vladimir Dzhanibekov

Balloon:

AA15 Raven. Gas Balloon with Anchor Balloon. 1 100 000 cu ft / 31 150 m3 helium and 550 000 / 15 575 m3 cold air.

Distance:

200 miles --- 322 km

12/31/94

Larry Newman USA

"Earthwinds Hilton". 5th attempt. From Reno. Anchor balloon bursts at 32 000 ft after 70 miles. Newman considers Rozière balloon.

Flight no: 6

Crew:

Dave Melton, George Saad

Balloon:

AA15 Raven. Gas Balloon with Anchor Balloon. 1 100 000 cu ft / 31 150 m3 helium and 550 000 / 15 575 m3 cold air.

Distance:

70 miles --- 113 km

1/10/96

Steve Fossett USA

"Solo Challenger". Attempt fails due to envelope failure, electrical problems and unfavourable flight direction.

Flight no: 7

.

Stratobowl, Rapid City, South Dakota 8/1 to near Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

Crew:

Solo

.

Balloon:

AM11 Rozière Balloon, Cameron R-200. 200 000 cu ft / 5 663 m3 helium

.

Distance/Duration:

1 819 miles --- 2 927 km --- 51 hours 13 minutes

1997 Jan 14-20

Steve Fossett USA

"Solo Spirit". St Louis, USA to Varanasi, India. First to cross Atlantic twice. Absolute distance and duration records

Flight no: 8

Crew:

Solo

Balloon:

AM11 Rozière Balloon Cameron R-210. Solo Challenger.

Distance/Duration:

10 363 miles --- 16 678 km --- 146 hours 44 minutes

1997 Jan

Per Lindstrand SWE/UK

"Virgin Global Challenger". Forgot safety catches on fuel couplings. Aborted flight

Flight no: 9

Crew:

Richard Branson, Alex Ritchie

Balloon:

AM15 Rozière Balloon Lindstrand

.

Distance/Duration:

Unknown distance 20.00

1997 Jan

Bertrand Piccard SUI

"Breitling Olympic Orbiter". Landed Mediterranean after gasoline leak

Flight no: 10

Crew:

Wim Verstraeten

Balloon:

AM Rozière Balloon Cameron

.

Distance/Duration:

Unknown distance, about 6 hours

1997 Dec 31 - 1998 Jan 5

Steve Fossett USA

"Solo Spirit". Fastest Atlantic crossing. First to cross Atlantic three times. St Louis, USA to Krasnodar, Russia

Flight no: 11

Crew:

Solo

Balloon:

AM11 Rozière Balloon. Cameron R-210. 210 000 cu ft / 5 947 m3 helium

Distance/Duration:

7 300 miles --- 11 748 km --- 108 hours 23 minutes

1997 Dec

Kevin Uliassi USA

"J.Renee".The balloon gas cell burst at the ceiling (21,000 ft). Emergency landing

Flight no: 12

Crew:

Solo

Balloon:

AM Rozière Balloon, Cameron

.

Distance/Duration:

180 miles --- 290 km --- 3 hours

1998 Jan

Dick Rutan USA

"Global Hilton". Envelope split during climb. Crew parachuted

Flight no: 13

Crew:

Dave Melton

Balloon:

AM-11 Rozière Balloon. 7 000 m3. Cameron envelope. Rutan spherical capsule.

.

Distance/Duration:

Unknown

1998 Jan 29 - Feb 07

Bertrand Piccard SUI

"Breitling Orbiter 2". Chateau d'Oeux, Switzerland to Sitkwin Minhla, Myanmar. Absolute World Duration record

Flight no: 14

Crew:

Andy Elson, Wim Verstraeten

Balloon:

AM14 Rozière, Cameron R500, 629 710 cu ft / 17 831m3

Distance/Duration

5 266 miles --- 8 475 km --- 233 hours, 55 min

1998 Aug 7 - 16

Steve Fossett USA

"Solo Spirit 3". First crossing of South Atlantic. Mendoza, Argentine to Chesterfield Reef, Coral Sea. Absolute distance record

Flight no 15

 .

Solo

Balloon:

AM14 Rozière Balloon Cameron R-600. 600 000 cu ft / 16 990 m3

.

Distance/ Duration:

14 236 miles --- 22 910 km --- 205 hours 59minutes --- 9 358m

1998 Dec 18-25

Per Lindstrand SWE/UK

"ICO Global" Launched Marrakech, Morocco at 09.23 UTC to near Honolulu, Hawaii

Attempt No: 22

Crew:

Steve Fossett, Richard Branson

Flight no: 16

Balloon:

AM15 Lindstrand Rozière Balloon. 1 100 000 cu ft / 31 149 m3

.

Distance/Duration

12 404 miles --- 19 962 km --- 178 hours

1999 Feb 17-Mar 07

Andy Elson UK

"Cable & Wireless". Almeira, Spain to 270 km SE Tokyo, Japan. Absolute World Duration record

Flight no: 17

Crew:

Colin Prescot

Balloon:

AM15 Rozière Balloon, Cameron/Elson R-900, G-CWCW. 1 061 735 cu ft / 30 065 m3

Distance/Duration

8 953miles --- 14 408km --- 425 hours, 41min

1999 March 3 -21

Bertrand Piccard SUI

"Breitling Orbiter 3" - Chateau d'Oex to Dakhla, Egypt. First successful Around the World flight. Absolute distance, duration and Around the World records

Flight no 18

Crew:

Brian Jones (UK)

Balloon:

AM15 Rozière Balloon, Cameron R650, 831 449 cu ft, 23 544 m3

.

Distance/Duration

RTW record 370 hours 24 min --- 25 361miles --- 40 814km --- 477 hours 47 min

2000 Feb 22 - Mar 3

Kevin Uliassi USA

"J Renee". Rockford, Illinois 22 Feb to Nyaungu, Myanmar 3 March. AM 13-14 duration world record

Flight no: 19

Crew:

Solo

Balloon:

AM Rozière Balloon, Uliassi homebuilt "J. Renee", N761JR, 13 727 m3

Distance/Duration

12 710 miles --- 20 455 km --- 243 hours 28 min

2001 Aug 4 - 17

Steve Fossett USA

"Solo Spirit 3". First South Pacific crossing. AM14 duration record. Northam, West Australia 4 August to Bagé, Brazil 17 August.

Flight no: 20

Crew:

Solo

Balloon:

AM14 Rozière Balloon Cameron R-550. N277SF. 18 429 m3 / 651 000 cu ft

Distance/ Duration:

11 968 miles --- 19 260 km --- 300 hours 57minutes --- 9 358m

2002 June 19 - July 3

Steve Fossett USA

"Bud Light Spirit of Freedom". Second successful RTW flight, first solo RTW flight. AM14 distance and duration record, Absolute Round the World record. Northam, West Australia June 19 to the Blue Hills, Queensland, Australia

Flight no: 21

Crew:

Solo

Balloon:

AM14 Rozière Balloon Cameron R-600. 600 000 cu ft / 16 990 m3

.

Distance/ Duration:

RTW record about 320 hours --- about 20 521 miles --- about 33 025 km --- about 350 hours total duration

Document compiled by:
Hans Akerstedt
Vice-President
FAI Ballooning Commission
Sveavagen 19B
S-181 60 LIDINGO
Sweden
Tel : +46-8-7658331 Fax: +46-8-765 8331
Email: hasse.akerstedt@telia.com

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