May 2000
2000
Volume 15, Number 5
NewsandInformation
Products andServices for sale
Paul Stumpf
withGeorge Denniston
First Flight in the Philippines
ReachFor The
Stars! a balloonto
give people ina
wheelchair the
experience of flight.
Photo: Pat Murphy
Report: Kevin Uliassi Tasks onthe World
the Storm
Balloon Life talked withLou Billones, Kevin Uliassi’s weather man, tolearn
about the art of around-the-world weather forecasting. Billones’ team spent
months before the flight planning and then trying to find just the right weather
system.
BlackBox
Trying to fly solo around-the-worldby balloon requires some help. That help
comes ina smallblackbox called an autopilot. If you want an autopilot for a
balloon, the maneveryone turnstois Bruce Comstock.
ofthe J.Renee
Kevin Uliassi’s second solo flight attempt at circling the globe in a balloon had
a much better outcome than his first effort. While he didn’taccomplishhis
ultimate goal, he did stretch the limits of humanflight at high altitude.
for the Stars!
Pat Murphy’sinvolvement in a summer programfor children with cancer,
called Camp Reach for the Sky, lead him to form an organization and develop
a wheelchair accessible balloonbaskettoshare the joy of flight withpeople
who might otherwise nothave the chance.
BalloonEventsfor 1999
Balloon Life readers select their choices forthe best balloon events in America.
This year’swinners include the Oldsmobile BalloonClassic, Red Rock
BalloonRally, and the CarolinasBalloon AssociationSafetySeminar.
Balloonsfor the Year 2000
Balloonillustrator Mark Pacanhas launchedasambitiousproject—and he
needs for your help. His goal is to paint 2000differentballoons in one picture
in celebration of the new millennium. He needs your help to fill out the field of
balloons. Learn how you and your favorite balloon(s) can participate.
