Sun, Jun 29, 2003
Hempleman-Adams' Attempt To Break Balloon Record Slow
Going
He launched from just south of
Pittsburgh Friday night, carrying two roast beef sandwiches and a
Tibetian good luck charm. Twenty-four hours later, British
adventurer David Hempleman-Adams was just crossing the border
between Pennsylvania and New York, not exactly sure where his
journey would lead.
"David will either head up the New England coast once he has
passed through New York or he will take a more easterly track - it
all depends on the winds," Dr Dave Owen, Hempleman-Adams' flight
director said. In spite of the slow start, Hempleman-Adams, who has
walked across both the North and South Poles and climed the highest
peak on every single continent, hopes to make Portugal in just six
days.
Reaching For Transatlantic Altitude
Hempleman-Adams "Atlantic Challenger," an AM-8 Roziere
helium-filled balloon with a four-foot by seven-foot wicker basket
attached, has already reached an altitude of 11,000 feet, where the
temperature Saturday was a balmy 56F, according to Owens. However,
Atlantic Challenger is expected to climb to 24,000 feet while
crossing the Northern Atlantic, where Hempleman-Adams will face
sub-zero temperatures and the possibility of dangerous weather
conditions.
For now, however, Hempleman-Adams' biggest
problem is getting noticed. "He is in good spirits but is very busy
communicating with airports as there is a lot of air traffic on the
eastern seaboard," Owen said.
This is Hempleman-Adams' second attempt to cross the Atlantic by
himself in an open-air balloon. Last September, his autopilot
malfunctioned over Connecticut, forcing him to crash-land.
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