World Championship
The World Hot Air Balloon Championship was held in Saga, Japan in November and David Bareford of the United Kingdom is the new champion. A total of 21 tasks were completed. The United States placed all five of its team in the top ten. Joe Heartsill, the defending champion finished third. The top ten finishers are listed below. A complete report from the Balloon Life team in Saga will appear in the January issue.
1. David Bareford, United Kingdom
2. Janne Balkedal, Sweden
3. Joe Heartsill, United States
4. Bill Arras, United States
5. Uwe Schneider, Germany
6. Harold Cliver, United States
7. Thomas Fink, Germany
8. Pat Cannon, United States
9. Brian Beazly, United States
10. Jouni Ruotsalainen, Finland
Around-the-World Update
As the launch window opens for all the around-the-world teams new developments are being announced almost daily. Below is a recap of some of the significant changes since our Special Report last month.
Budweiser Cup - Anheuser-Bush announced the first-ever Budweiser Cup,
an aviation challenge which will pay $1 million to the first aeronautical
team to successfully circumnavigate the globe in a balloon. The $1 million
challenge begins with the announcement on November 13 and continues through
December 31, 1999.
The first team to complete the around-the-world journey will receive $500,000 and the remaining $500,000 will be donated to the charity or non-profit organization(s) of the winning team's choice.
Global Hilton - November 21 Global Hilton announced a crew change. Balloonist Richard Abruzzo has stepped aside as pilot of the Global Hilton, and launch master Dave Melton has been named his replacement joining Dick Rutan. Balloon Life spoke with Rutan who confirmed that Melton, originally designated as the provisional pilot, had been selected from a short list of potential candidates.
The Hilton team is now conducting final training in Mojave, California. The envelope is in Albuquerque where the flight will launch from. Rutan told Balloon Life that he and Melton will be in Albuquerque by late December and ready for launch.
Abruzzo is scheduled to take Melton's place as the launch master. "The reason for this change is personal," Abruzzo said. "My wife, Nancy, and I just learned we are expecting our first child. Though distance balloon flights have been a significant part of my life, I feel it is inappropriate for me to take on the risks associated with such an adventure just as Nancy and I are embarking on this new and wonderful experience of raising a family."
Melton has flown hot air, helium, hydrogen, and ammonia balloons, and possesses considerable experience in flying the Roziere system selected for the Global Hilton. He also participated in several of the Earthwinds attempted flights.
Cameron Balloons
Cameron Balloons U.S. has scheduled Friday, January 16th and Saturday January 17th for its upcoming two-day Maintenance Seminar in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Expected attendees will include local FAA officials and repair station personnel from around the country. All interested participants should contact Dave Moody, Engineering Manager, at 313-426-5525 for details and sign-up. Space is limited.
Art Contest
The 1998 International Aviation Art Contest has been announced by the Fédération Aéronautic Internationale. The contest, held annually, is open to children between the ages of six and 17 (as of April 30, 1998). This year's theme is to create a poster for "Air Sports in the Olympics." The poster can include all types of sporting and recreational aeronautics including ballooning, gliding, parachuting, aerobatics, hand gliding, paragliding, microlight/ultralight flying, model aircraft, light aircraft and helicopter flying.
Entries must be created on paper no larger than 11-3/4 by 16-1/2 inches. Any combination of the following mediums/techniques are acceptable: color crayons, watercolor painting, acrylic painting, oil painting, indelible marker pens, felt-tip pens, soft ball-point pens, indelible ink and similar indelible mediums. Use of pencils, charcoal and other non-permanent mediums is not permitted.
Entries are judged in one of three age groups, based on the contestant's age as of April 30, 1998: (i) six to nine years old, (ii) 10 to 13 years old or (iii) 14 to 17 years old.
Entries are submitted to state aviation agencies in the U.S. where judges will select first place winners and runner-up winners in each category. Each state's first place winner advances to participate in the national competition at Washington, D.C., where the national first place winner and two national runner-up winners are selected from each age group.
National winners receive a certificate, ribbon, framed photograph of their entry and a professional work of art from the American Society of Aviation Artists. The national first place and runner-up winners advance to the international competition at FAI headquarters. International winners receive a certificate and a gold, silver or bronze metal.
The 1998 International Aviation Art Contest is sponsored by the National Aeronautic Association, National Association of State Aviation Officials and Federal Aviation Administration, in cooperation with the FAI, to motivate and encourage young people of FAI-member nations to become more familiar with and participate in aeronautics, engineering and science.
For more information contact your local state aeronautics/aviation bureau.
FAI News
Jacques Soukup has resigned as President of the International Ballooning Commission (CIA) of the FAI. Mr. Soukup's letter of resignation read in part, "I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the privilege of serving as the President of the FAI Ballooning Commission. It is an honor I did not seek, but one which I performed with dedication to the international fellowship of ballooning and airshipping. I always tried to the best of my ability to be fair, friendly, professional and diplomatic in this volunteer position.
"By the end of December, 1997, I will have moved from the Virgin Islands, my home for many years. New ventures will keep me busy elsewhere. Therefore, the appropriate and honorable course of action is to resign ident. I believe the FAI Statutes are quite clear on residency and the right to represent. As such, I cannot in good conscience remain as the President while not living in the Virgin Islands. The First Vice President, Hans Akerstedt, understands and has graciously agreed to be the acting President for the remainder of my term. Of course, I will assist as time allows during the immediate transition."
Soukup is also a former President of the Balloon Federation of America.
The FAI has ratified the following world records in ballooning:
Class A (free balloon) Absolute Record and class AM 11-15, gas/hot air balloons - Distance 16,673.81 kilometers by J. Stephen Fossett (USA) in a Cameron R-210. The flight launched from St. Louis, Missouri January 14 and landed in Nonkhar, Sultanpur (India) January 20, 1997. Fossett broke his previous record of 8,748.11 kilometers set when he crossed the Pacific solo in February, 1995.
Fossett also established a new Absolute Record for free balloons and gas/hot air balloons for duration with a performance of 146 hours and 44 minutes. This surpassed the previous record of 144 hours and 16 minutes set by Richard Abruzzo and Troy Bradley during their Chrysler Challenge Race flight in September, 1992.
The FAI has also ratified the duration record for AX 10-15 (hot air balloon) of 50 hours and 38 minutes. The flight took place February 1-3, 1997 in a Cameron N-210. Michio Kanda and Hirosuke Takezawa of Japan flew from Chestemere Lake, Alberta (Canada) to Jordon, Montana (USA).
BFA News
The Balloon Federation of America held a board meeting in Orlando, Florida on November 15. The board has formed a new ad-hoc committee to investigate forming a commercial balloon ride operators division. Russ Grantham and Roger Anderson are heading up the committee.
The BFA is continuing to establish rules and fees for a sport balloon competition division.
The BFA has renegotiated its agreement with MBNA, the credit card issuing company, and expects that the new agreement will bring in more money to the organization's treasury.
The new board reversed the old board's negative attitude toward the landowner relations mapping system developed by Neville Wallace and sponsored by Balloon Life. The BFA is now considering an endorsement of the program.
Ninety-Nines Museum
The "second floor" museum located in the office building of The Ninety-Nines, international organization of women pilots, in Oklahoma City, is nearly completed according to Claire Walters, fundraising chairman.
The museum is expected to be completed with furnishings by early spring. After that it will take some time to paint murals, hang photographs, and prepare the cabinet displays of memorabilia that has been slowly gathered for 30 years and stored in anticipation of this moment.
A "name the museum" contest is underway, closing January 5, 1998. For more information contact Claire Walters, 13026 Psomas Way, Los Angeles, CA 90066 or calling (310) 397-2731. You can learn more about The Ninety-Nines by visiting their homepage at http://www.ninetynines.org/.
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