Around the world in 20 days

Revoli Tarnim

Dr. Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones sailed into the record books early Saturday morning, when their Breitling Orbiter 3 completed the first non-stop balloon trip around the world. They began their adventure on March 1st, after they took off from Chateau-d’Oex in the Swiss Alps.

The pilots initially flew southwest to North Africa to catch a favourable jet stream going eastward. Therefore, the official beginning of their trip was the westernmost point the balloon reached before heading east. The journey took about 20 days to cross the circumnavigation point, however, the two men decided to touch down in Egypt.

The flight of the Breitling Orbiter 3 was a triumph of piloting skill, greatly helped by steady improvements in balloon technology over the years and excellent meteorological forecasting. Without this, the balloon could not have sailed its way around storms, mountain peaks, hostile airspace, rough winds, stagnant air and other hazards. Since the balloon had no power of its own, it was at the mercy of whatever winds it encountered. High-altitude jet-stream winds flow at speeds up to 200 miles per hour in a generally west-to-east direction. These winds, though, may halt or divide into branches without warning, sometimes carrying a balloon far off course. There are many lower speed winds circulating at lower altitude and, by maneuvering between altitudes, skillful balloonists can generally find a wind heading their way. This is where the vitally important ground team came into play.

Based at mission headquarters in Geneva, a team of 13 meteorologists worked around the clock, guiding the two men safely around the world. Advanced computer modelling of the earth’s hour-to-hour wind patterns, coupled with observations by satellites, commercial airlines, ships and other sources, allowed the ground team to provide very accurate directional information. By providing up to the minute weather changes and wind speed directions, the Breitling Orbiter 3 was able to find appropriate jet steams heading east.

One of the most serious dangers posed to the balloon was heading into restricted airspace. Before the start of the trip, the team attempted to obtain permission from all countries they might fly over. However, countries such as Russia and Algeria did not cooperate. China, traditionally not allowing balloonists permission to cross their airspace, did allow the team to cross Chinese airspace provided they stay south of the 26th parallel. This was one of the most serious obstacles because in 1995 a balloon was shot down over Belarus .

Dr. Piccard said it would be sad to part with the balloon, which will never be used again. The two balloonists also thanked Breitling, a Swiss manufacturer of watches, for its support over the past five years, which included three attempts to circle the world.

The exact cost of the expedition is not known. However, the Breitling Orbiter 3, built by Cameron Balloons Ltd. of Bristol, England, cost about $2 million. Other costs included salaries for the 13 member ground staff and additional fees.

Aside from establishing the greatest record in ballooning history, the Breitling’s crew has met the requirements by which they will receive $1 million from the Anheuser-Busch brewing company, as well as the Budweiser Cup, offered to the first balloonist to circumnavigate the globe without landing.