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.

FMI: www.rcawsey.fsnet.co.uk/roziere.htm