Chateau d’Oex, Switzerland
Date: 1st March - 0805 UTC
Altitude: 0ft
Final landing at Mut, Egypt
Date: 21st March - 0600 UTC
Speed: 12 knots
Heading: 0150
Set the world altitude record at 38,507ft
Date: 20th March - 1710 UTC
Altitude: 38,507ft
Speed: 112 knots
Heading: 085
Crossed the finish line
Date: 20th March - 1021 UTC
Altitude: 35,000ft
Speed: 101 knots
Yemen – no permission to enter and risk of being shot down
Date: 6th March - 2318 UTC
Altitude: 18,400ft
Speed: 46 knots
Heading: 095
We enter Chinese airspace
Date: 9th March - 2020 UTC
Altitude: 25,000ft
Speed: 89 knots
Heading: 092
Halfway way around!
Date: 13th March - 0510 UTC
Altitude: 29,400ft
Speed: 31 knots
Heading: 124
Found the jetstream at last!
Date: 15th March - 1316 UTC
Speed: 70 knots
Heading: 069
We break the existing absolute world distance record
Advised to land by Flight Director as we have travelled two thirds of the distance but used three quarters of our fuel.
Date: 18th March - 1348 UTC
Altitude: 34,500ft
Speed: 64 knots
Heading: 077
A dangerous build-up of fumes in the capsule makes life interesting.
Date: 17th March - 1222 UTC
Heading: 097
Orbiterballoon.com is my personal web site. Thank you for visiting and I hope that you will find your time here informative and enjoyable. When the Breitling Orbiter 3 touched down in Egypt on 21st March 1999, after the first successful circumnavigation of the world, my life changed dramatically. I have been called a variety of names in the past, but it came as quite a shock to be referred to as one of history's 'aviation pioneers'.
On this site I will try to keep you up to date with what I am doing in my professional life and give news of current projects and interesting tit-bits. One of the most important of these, for me, is our Winds of Hope foundation. While Bertrand Piccard and I were drifting high above the earth in our small capsule, we became very aware of the fragility of our planet and of the people who inhabit it. Winds of Hope aims to promote a more sensitive approach to our environment and to the future of mankind. In particular we seek to help children who are suffering in forgotten or unreported circumstances.
I have a fresh challenge - to enable disabled folk to become licenced balloon pilots ..... ...Read more
Yves Rossy, known as the Jetman records another first by leaping from the Breitling Orbiter 3 rep...Read more
On 17th March 1999, as the balloon crossed the line of longitude that passes through the USA capi...Read more
Geraldine performs a close shave fly-by with the Breitling Orbiter replica balloon.... &nb...Read more
Now I've done some pretty silly things in my life......... &nb...Read more
The passing of a fine man............. Read more
What a privilege to meet some of the legends of aviation - not just the people but the aeroplanes...Read more
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Breitling sponsors a World Humanitarian Tour to celebrate the 10th anniversary .... ...Read more