A 50-year-old stockbroker from Chicago flew his balloon over Canada today, becoming the first person to successfully fly solo across the Pacific Ocean. Around the World in a Balloon with Steve Fossett - SciHi BlogSciHi … Walt Sehnert, McCook. In 2002, he became the first person to circle the world solo in a balloon. I first met Steve Fossett on a freezing January evening at the Busch stadium in St. Louis, Mo., in 1997. Teaching Steve Fossett to fly balloons. On July 2, 2002, 58-year-old millionaire Steve Fossett completed the world's first solo circumnavigation of the Earth in a hot air balloon. Fossett aborts solo balloon bid. On September 3, 2007, Steve Fossett set out for a flight that would take him across the Nevada Triangle. The flight of Solo Spirit had to be called off due to gathering thunderstorms over the Atlantic Ocean. American adventurer and pilot who made five flights around the world, including one in a hot air balloon. The ground control team at Washington University in St Louis … Fossett landed when the risks just became too great. Proposition that Fossett may have only been on a pleasure flight when he crashed is cited to a news article that doesn't say that at all--in fact, it says the opposite. Transcript for 7/2/02: Steve Fossett Sets Balloon Record This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate. Steve Fossett has finally realized his dream. Balloon flying 2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Steve Fossett, Solo Balloonist"It's fairly good. He was the first person to circumnavigate the world solo in a hot-air balloon and the first to fly a plane solo around the globe without refueling. Walt Sehnert On July 4th, 2002, the world breathed a collective sigh of relief, as Steve Fossett landed safely and became the first man to fly a balloon, solo, around the world. Pilot Steve Fossett's Bud Light Spirit of Freedom balloon crosses the Natal coast 45 kilometres south of Durban, South Africa at 27,000 feet, Sunday June 30, 2002. Fossett, who took off from Australia on June 18, landed again in Australia on July 3, completing his round-the-world journey on the sixth try, in 15 days. Fossett went missing in the Nevada Desert in September 2007. The idea of spending two weeks inside a tiny cramped capsule six miles above the ground with outside temperatures well below zero would be many people's idea of hell. On 3 July 2002, Steve Fossett became the first person to fly around the world alone, nonstop, in any kind of aircraft, by hot air balloon. Fossett is embarking on his last leg across the Indian Ocean to return to Australia to complete the first solo circumnavigation of the World by balloon. He launched the balloon Spirit of Freedom from Northam, Western Australia, on 19 June 2002 and returned to Australia on 3 July 2002, subsequently landing in Queensland. Steve Fossett took off from Busch Stadium aboard his balloon “Solo Spirit” and set a world distance record when he landed in India. Below, pilot Steve Fossett standing on the gondola of the Bud Light Spirit of Freedom balloon, just after landing down in Australia on July 4th 2002. Steve Fossett in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer cockpit. He has circumnavigated the earth ballooning, sailing, and flying. Steve Fossett Will Steve Fossett's third attempt to be first to fly around the world non-stop in a balloon prove a charm for the mild-mannered American multi-millionaire and adventure addict? Steve Fossett, in full James Stephen Fossett, (born April 22, 1944, Jackson, Tennessee, U.S.—disappeared September 3, 2007, western Nevada), American businessman and adventurer who set a number of world records, most notably in aviation and sailing. He held multiple records for journeys involving planes and hot air balloons — including being the first person to make a solo trip around the world in a balloon. Progress of this journey was especially interesting to people in McCook because a McCook man, John Kugler, was a member of Mr. … This was not easy to do. 1. Steve Fossett attempted the hot-air balloon trip around the world six times. He was born on April 22, 1944 in Tennessee. His fifth attempt cost him $1.25 million of his own money; his sixth and successful attempt was commercially sponsored. Map: Steve Fossett's solo balloon flight : Map: Solo balloon flight grounded "It was a new idea, and I hadn't even considered it," he said. He became the first person in the world to complete a circumnavigation of the globe in a hot air balloon, completed in just under 15 days. American adventurer Steve Fossett drifted into aviation history today, as he became the first man to fly a balloon solo around the world. Image: Public Domain. Tuesday, September 3, 2002. Steve Fossett The balloon, which was also hit by technical problems, landed in fields near the city of Bage, close to Brazil's border with Uruguay. In 1984 American aviator Joseph W. Kittinger, aboard the helium-filled Rosie O’Grady’s Balloon of Peace, made the first solo transatlantic balloon flight. More importantly, he is the first to do it alone. Bad weather has forced American balloonist Steve Fossett give up his solo attempt to circle the Earth. He was a close friend of fellow adventurer and aviation pioneer Richard Branson. In 2002 he became the first balloonist to circumnavigate the world alone, and in 2005 he completed the first nonstop solo global flight in an … Steve Fossett is best known as a Pilot. Fossett, who made a fortune in the Chicago commodities market, gained worldwide fame as an adventurer, setting records in high-tech balloons, gliders, jets and boats. During his fourth attempt in nineteen ninety-eight, he was almost killed during a thunderstorm off the coast of Australia. He has sailed around the world in a hot air balloon. He was to return to the same airport … Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett has landed in southern Brazil after aborting his attempt to become the first person to balloon solo non-stop around the world. Fossett told Australia's TV 7 Network that his 150-foot-high, helium-and-hot-air balloon--the Solo Spirit--plummeted 29,000 feet into the sea after its Mylar skin was ruptured in the storm. A documentary from 1999 or 2000,A VHS recording from Channel 9's fantastic "Our World" series. On the Spirit of Freedom, Steve Fossett became the first (and only) person to complete a solo balloon flight around the world in 2002. Emerging after a 13-day flight, the millionaire said he felt "pretty good" despite minor bruises and scrapes. He flew in the balloon's capsule that was so small he could not stand upright. Klieforth opined he found it unusual that someone with Fossett’s level of experience would make simple mistakes, such as not checking the weather in greater … On February 21, 1995, Fossett landed in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada, after taking off from South Korea, becoming the first person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon. He was no novice. In 1995 American adventurer Steve Fossett, aboard the helium-filled Solo Challenger, made the first solo transpacific balloon flight. Mr. Fossett held numerous world records. Now Playing: {{itm.title}} His crew said the balloon, which is 56m (183ft) tall and uses helium and hot air, covered the route in 11 days and six hours, beating Fossett's record by more than two days. He might have made it around the world but Libya denied him permission to cross their country. Fossett's trip around the world took just over 13 days US adventurer Steve Fossett has landed his balloon in the Australian outback after a record-breaking around-the-world solo flight. Steve Fossett holds world records in ballooning, sailing and flying airplanes. The air crash that killed daredevil entrepreneur Steve Fossett was probably caused by powerful wind gusts that forced his small plane to slam into a mountain.