Balloonist Finishes Around-the-world Trek

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, July 04, 2002

Balloonist Finishes Around-the-world Trek

American adventurer Steve Fossett drifted into aviation history Tuesday, becoming the first person to fly a balloon solo around the world.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

American adventurer Steve Fossett drifted into aviation history Tuesday, becoming the first person to fly a balloon solo around the world.

Flying through the darkness over the ocean south of Australia in his silvery Spirit of Freedom balloon, Fossett crossed east of 117 degrees longitude, the line from which he set off two weeks ago.

The 58-year-old Chicago investment millionaire covered an estimated 19,428.6 miles by the time he crossed the finish line, finally succeeding in his sixth attempt at the record.

This time around Fossett had plenty of fuel, no rogue nations to avoid and enough spare oxygen to keep the American adventurer on track.

With weather largely on his side throughout the trip, Fossett finally completed the nonstop feat after five previous, crash-plagued attempts spread over more than six years, conquering one of aviation's last barriers.

The voyage he began June 18 in western Australia took him exactly 13 days, 12 hours, 16 minutes and 13 seconds.

After breaking the record, Fossett was expected to continue drifting across Australia until daylight, when he would be able to find a safe place to land �� most likely on southern Australia's Nullarbor Plain, a vast and virtually treeless desert in Western Australia state, until he finds a safe landing site.

A recovery team was planning to set up a base in the tiny settlement of Forrest, 370 miles east of Kalgoorlie, a gold mining town in Western Australia.

Weather conditions in Australia were ideal for the landing with low temperatures and virtually no wind.

After landing, the team will pick up Fossett and most likely take him back to Kalgoorlie. From there he will fly across Australia in his private jet and give a news conference in Sydney.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Tycoon Makes Another Round-the-World Balloon Bid

FM Spokesman on Chinese Diplomat Killed in Kyrgyzstan ( 7 Messages)

Mysterious Pipes Left by "ET" Reported from Qinghai ( 49 Messages)

From Concocting 'Theory of Threat' to Dishing up 'Theory of Collapse' ( 29 Messages)

China to Boost the Service Sector to Create More Jobs ( 27 Messages)

China Races to Replace US as Economic Power in Asia: NY Times ( 8 Messages)

China's Security Model Shapes Peace: News Analysis ( 5 Messages)