Around the World

This winter season six teams hoped to be the first to fly a balloon around the world. Three teams were able to attempt a flight, and at this writing one is still in the air, three teams were frustrated by weather and other problems that prevented them from joining the race. By the time you read this the last team, Breitling Orbiter 3, will have accomplished the historic first or fallen short, establishing new duration and distance records in the process.

Whether the elusive prize will be grabbed or not, this has been a remarkable season of great flights. ICO Global, Cable & Wireless, and Breitling have proved beyond a doubt that the technology and planning to make the flight has come of age. Each team leaves their mark on new ways to reach the same goal.

The real heroes, I believe, are the meteorologists for these epic flights. They are master craftsmen and to them should be bestowed the same honors as the pilots themselves. For they are flying these balloons as much, if not more, as the man with his hand on the burner.

State of ballooning

This month Balloon Life begins a new series of articles that will, during the next two years, take the reader ballooning in every state in America. The series is written by long time Genesse Valley Balloon Association Newsbasket editor, Greg Livadas. Every month you will visit two states. Greg decided to start by choosing a state at each end of the alphabet and working his way to the middle.

Learn about clubs, fun places to fly, rallies, some of the personalities, and more. Each month Balloon Life will take you on a journey of exploration, bringing closer together our family of friends.

What if...

the Nazca priests of ancient Peru had flown in hot air balloons to view their mysterious line figures in the ground?

Did the Easter Island sculptors go aloft to put the finishing touches on their monoliths?

In more than a dozen recent paintings, artist and avid balloonist Joe Mussulman invites you to follow him on fanciful flights into ballooning history. Balloon Life is pleased to showcase Mr. Mussulman's work in a new series. Each month take fantasy flight that lets ballooning introduce you to some history.