| COMMUNITY |
| Message Boards Chat Feedback |
| SITE SOURCES |
| Contents Help! Search CNN Networks |
| SPECIALS |
| Quick News Almanac Video Vault News Quiz |
|
U.S. balloonists forced down shortly after launch
January 9, 1998
Melton, left, and Rutan
Web posted at: 9:46 a.m. EST (1446 GMT)ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (CNN) -- U.S. balloonists Dick Rutan and Dave Melton had to abort their balloon attempt to circle the globe less than two hours after their liftoff Friday.
The problem with the balloon appeared to be a helium leak.
The flight crew is currently attempting to get the balloon safely on the ground.
The craft lifted off before dawn on Friday in a bid to make aviation history by circling the globe without stopping. The launch of their 170-foot (52-meter) "Global Hilton" took place at 6:20 a.m. MST (8:20 a.m. EST) from Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque.
The silver-colored aircraft rose quickly, disappearing into the darkness within seconds on its way eastward.
Three European balloonists also plan to launch soon from Switzerland, despite a delay caused by a mooring accident on Thursday.
Two other recent round-the-world attempts ended in failure.
"Anything that happened to the others could happen to us," Rutan told CNN in a live interview at 4:45 a.m. MST (6:45 a.m. EST) just before he and Melton conducted a final pre-flight check.
"We've got as good a chance as anybody," said Melton, adding, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous."(
230K/19 sec. AIFF or WAVsound)
"Adventure is the essence of life," said Rutan.
The work of inflating the Global Hilton began about 2 a.m. MST (4 a.m. EST), in hopes of taking off at 5 a.m. (7 a.m. EST). However, the scheduled liftoff was delayed for over an hour until the crew readied equipment and waited for proper weather conditions.
Longer delay unnecessary
Crew preparing balloon for Friday's launch Rutan and Melton had initially planned to take off on Tuesday morning, but suspended the launch for up to two weeks because they believed poor wind conditions made the trip impossible.
That caution proved to be unnecessary, however, leading to the rescheduling of the launch for Friday.
Rutan said the delay worked in the balloonist's favor because everyone had been exhausted by the rush to get the equipment ready on time.
The Global Hilton is a combination hot-air balloon and helium balloon, with 18 propane tanks to fuel the flames that warm the gas. The plan is to rise immediately 32,000 feet (9,800 meters) into the jet stream and ride 200 mph (322 km/h) air currents around the world in about 14 days.
Because the Global Hilton's 8-foot (2.4-meter) spherical capsule is pressurized, it can safely fly at high altitudes in strong wind currents.
Chicago millionaire Steve Fossett, whose third round-the-world bid ended Monday on the edge of the Black Sea, has speculated that a successful bid might need a pressurized capsule. His was not.
Fossett had hoped to break his own record of traveling 10,361 miles (16,671 km) in a balloon, or his record for longest duration -- six days and two and a half hours aloft. Those records were set in January 1997 when he was forced to land in a mustard field in India after running out of fuel.
Another balloonist, Kevin Uliassi, left Loves Park, Illinois, on New Year's Eve but an equipment problem forced him to land a few hours later in Indiana.
Anheuser-Busch, a U.S.-based beer manufacturer, is offering $500,000 to the first person or team to circle the globe in a balloon, along with $500,000 to the charity of the winner's choice. The deadline is December 31, 1999.
Correspondent Jim Hill contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- U.S. balloonists to launch early Friday - January 8, 1998
- Fossett ends round-the-world ballooning attempt - January 5, 1998
- Weather delays launch of Rutan's balloon - January 2, 1998
- Rip forces Uliassi to abort balloon flight - December 31, 1997
- Five teams poised for round-the-world balloon race - December 31, 1997
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
- Budweiser Cup to Salute the 1st Successful Around the World Balloon Flight
- PBS's Nova Online Adventure: Global Contenders 97/98
- Richard Branson's Virgin Global Challenger
- Steve Fossett's SoloSpirit
- Dave Melton's Global Hilton
- Bertrand Piccard and Wim Verstraeten and Andy Elson's Breitling Orbiter
- Kevin Uliassi's J. Renee
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
|
Sound off on our message boards & chat |
|
© 1998 Cable News Network, Inc.
A Time Warner Company
All Rights Reserved.