Balloon Racing

The pursuit of one of aviation's last frontiers--flying a hot-air balloon around the world nonstop--was a head-to-head race for only a few hours. Two competing balloonists began the exhausting, exhilarating and dangerous 20,000-mile journey Wednesday evening. In St. Louis, millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett lifted off at 5:05 p.m. from Busch Stadium, his shiny silver balloon shimmering against the white backdrop of the snow-covered ballpark. It is his fourth attempt to circle the globe.

Balloonists Bertrand Piccard of Switzerland and Brian Jones of England soared over Haiti and the Dominican Republic and headed out over the Atlantic. Their goal: A possible Sunday landing in northwest Africa. Piccard and Jones broke the distance record of 14,236 miles Tuesday after a March 1 liftoff from the Swiss Alps.

All six balloons in the Gordon Bennett balloon race landed safely, spread from only 14 miles to 50 miles from their starting point and too close for officials to decide on a winner Monday. Unofficial results put the two top finishers within two miles of each other after the helium balloons landed safely, race spokeswoman Frances Byrne said. On Monday, a recorded statement from the Aero Club of Southern California said the race was still too close to call.

Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett, who has now broken his own record for distance in a balloon, floated over Australia on Saturday as he reached the halfway point in his attempt to be the first balloonist to circle the globe nonstop. The Chicago financier flew over the small beach town of Geraldton, Australia, poking his head out of the gondola to view the last continent he'll pass before heading across the Pacific Ocean toward South America.

One giant helium balloon shredded in a rough desert landing Monday and three others touched down early, leaving the Gordon Bennett distance race to three balloons drifting over the Gulf of California. The Benihana balloon, piloted by restaurateur Rocky Aoki, made a bumpy landing in 15-m.p.h. winds near the border town of Mexicali about noon, said race chairman Randy Westrick. "They landed in very treacherous conditions," Westrick said. "They tore their balloon, but everyone's OK."

"I guess," remarks Dick Rutan, in the drowsy manner of the test pilot, "I guess we can't come home without at least one roll." Oh. "See, you just pull the nose up a little and she just goes right over. . . nice and . . . easy." Ugh. The horizon clocks around. Through the bubble canopy, the blue of the sky disappears and the brown of the California desert emerges underhead. Then sky crawls around from beneath again. Momentarily, the stomach catches up. "Another?" he asks.

Alan Fraenckel was a professional airline pilot who--even when his work was done--couldn't stay out of the air. John Stuart-Jervis was "Mr. Aviation" in St. Croix--founder of the Virgin Islands Aero Club, eager pilot of anything that could get off the ground. And the ruling passion of both men's lives in recent years had become ballooning. "Flying in a balloon enables you to suspend yourself over this planet in a unique way," said David Rapp, a friend of the two men.

Two balloonists parachuted into a cactus-studded pasture Friday after a tear doomed their round-the-world quest just an hour after launch. The pilotless balloon, laden with explosive fuel, floated east for about eight hours before landing in Texas. Dick Rutan and Dave Melton, hoping to become the first to fly nonstop round the world in a balloon, parachuted in 45-mph winds Friday morning. They landed a quarter-mile apart about 13 miles southeast of the town of Vaughn, N.M.

A hot air balloon in an annual aerial fiesta snagged a power line and crashed Saturday, killing both people aboard, authorities said. The balloon, Sunrunner, was among more than 600 that took off together in a mass morning ascension. "It hit a major power line at about 100 feet up," Assistant Fire Chief Morris Huling said. "It severed the envelope and the basket fell straight to the ground." Veteran pilot Allan C. Jones of Albuquerque and passenger Karl Gordon of Mississippi were killed.

Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett, who has now broken his own record for distance in a balloon, floated over Australia on Saturday as he reached the halfway point in his attempt to be the first balloonist to circle the globe nonstop. The Chicago financier flew over the small beach town of Geraldton, Australia, poking his head out of the gondola to view the last continent he'll pass before heading across the Pacific Ocean toward South America.

A three-man U.S.-British team announced plans Friday to attempt the first nonstop, around-the-world balloon flight. The team will be headed by Jacques Soukup, a South Dakotan who lives in England.

Two balloonists parachuted into a cactus-studded pasture Friday after a tear doomed their round-the-world quest just an hour after launch. The pilotless balloon, laden with explosive fuel, floated east for about eight hours before landing in Texas. Dick Rutan and Dave Melton, hoping to become the first to fly nonstop round the world in a balloon, parachuted in 45-mph winds Friday morning. They landed a quarter-mile apart about 13 miles southeast of the town of Vaughn, N.M.

Steve Fossett ended his fourth attempt to pilot a balloon nonstop around the world, stymied by uncooperative wind, low fuel and equipment problems that left him shivering. The Chicago commodities trader, 53, took off from St. Louis on Wednesday. After flying about a third of the way, he decided to land after crossing the Black Sea. He came down smoothly about 50 miles north of Krasnodar.

Steve Fossett's quest to become the first person to pilot a balloon around the world nonstop was in jeopardy Sunday, plagued by low winds and heater malfunctions that left him shivering in his cockpit. It is "very unlikely" Fossett will complete his trip, Alan Blount, mission control director, said Sunday afternoon. "Steve is very cold. . . . I honestly don't know the duration of this flight," Blount added.

One day into his quest to become the first balloonist to circle the globe, Steve Fossett was traveling about 80 mph at 22,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, about 70 miles southeast of Bermuda. He is expected to reach Europe by Saturday. "Everything looks to be in flawless condition," said Alan Blount, "mission control" director in St. Louis. "I think our odds are increasing that this thing's going to succeed."

The pursuit of one of aviation's last frontiers--flying a hot-air balloon around the world nonstop--is suddenly a head-to-head race. Two competing balloonists were to begin the exhausting, exhilarating and dangerous 20,000-mile journey Wednesday evening. In St. Louis, millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett lifted off at 5:05 p.m. from Busch Stadium, his shiny silver balloon shimmering against the white backdrop of the snow-covered ballpark. It will be his fourth attempt to circle the globe.

One day into his quest to become the first balloonist to circle the globe, Steve Fossett was traveling about 80 mph at 22,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, about 70 miles southeast of Bermuda. He is expected to reach Europe by Saturday. "Everything looks to be in flawless condition," said Alan Blount, "mission control" director in St. Louis. "I think our odds are increasing that this thing's going to succeed."

Steve Fossett's quest to become the first person to pilot a balloon around the world nonstop was in jeopardy Sunday, plagued by low winds and heater malfunctions that left him shivering in his cockpit. It is "very unlikely" Fossett will complete his trip, Alan Blount, mission control director, said Sunday afternoon. "Steve is very cold. . . . I honestly don't know the duration of this flight," Blount added.

The pursuit of one of aviation's last frontiers--flying a hot-air balloon around the world nonstop--was a head-to-head race for only a few hours. Two competing balloonists began the exhausting, exhilarating and dangerous 20,000-mile journey Wednesday evening. In St. Louis, millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett lifted off at 5:05 p.m. from Busch Stadium, his shiny silver balloon shimmering against the white backdrop of the snow-covered ballpark. It is his fourth attempt to circle the globe.

"I guess," remarks Dick Rutan, in the drowsy manner of the test pilot, "I guess we can't come home without at least one roll." Oh. "See, you just pull the nose up a little and she just goes right over. . . nice and . . . easy." Ugh. The horizon clocks around. Through the bubble canopy, the blue of the sky disappears and the brown of the California desert emerges underhead. Then sky crawls around from beneath again. Momentarily, the stomach catches up. "Another?" he asks.