rooster59 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Russian balloonist claims new round the world recordROD McGUIRK, Associated PressCANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A 65 -year-old Russian adventurer was slowly coming back to Earth in the Australian Outback on Saturday after claiming a new world record for flying solo around the world nonstop in 11 days.Fedor Konyukhov demonstrated precision navigation of his 56-meter (184-foot) -tall helium and hot-air balloon by returning to Australia directly over the west coast city of Perth, then over the airfield at the Australian town of Northam, 96 kilometers (60 miles) to the east by road, where he began his journey on July 12, support team member Steve Griffin said.American businessman Steve Fossett also started from Northam to set a record of 13 days and eight hours for his 33,000-kilometer (21,000-mile) journey in 2002.Konyukhov, a Russian Orthodox priest, has taken a longer route and roughly 11 days and six hours to complete the circumnavigation.Crews in six helicopters were following the 1.6-metric ton (1.8-ton) balloon inland to help him land somewhere along a 500-kilometer (300-mile) sparsely populated Outback expanse between Northam and the gold mining town of Kalgoorlie."We've got to keep him up a bit longer because there's quite a bit of wind on the ground here," Griffin said from Northam."We want to get him a bit further inland where there's a bit more open space and some big paddocks and hopefully get him clear of power lines which are a big concern," he said. "The balloon is coated with an aluminum foil so we don't want it touching power lines or the whole thing will become live."Konyukhov's team say landing the balloon could be the most challenging and dangerous part of the journey, with late afternoon the best time.He will expect to be dragged along the ground for several kilometers (miles) before coming to a halt."There's a number of things we have to be careful to manage as far as the risk goes," Griffin said. "Fedor is very tired. He's hardly slept in 11 days."Fossett was forced by strong winds to spend more than a day in the air after setting his own record as the first person to circle the globe in a balloon. His capsuled tumbled along the ground for 15 minutes after he landed on a cattle ranch in southwest Queensland state.The then 58-year-year-old emerged from the capsule with a bloodied mouth from biting his lip during the rough landing, but was otherwise unhurt.The Swiss-based World Air Sports Federation did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the new record. -- (c) Associated Press 2016-07-23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srikcir Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Test for doping first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 No need to test him, we already know he is higher than a kite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Just take off and land 24 hrs later!!!... What's so hard about that?!!! (just let the earth rotate underneath...)... Hmmmmm.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammock Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Test for doping first. Wondering if you could repeat all Mr Konyukhovs records instead of sitting in an easy chair. Doping is not needed for flying around the world in a baloon. Only courage, luck and a big pair of balls is needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirineou Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 (edited) Just take off and land 24 hrs later!!!... What's so hard about that?!!! (just let the earth rotate underneath...)... Hmmmmm.... I Know you are kidding, but the answer is because the air in the atmosphere also rotates with the Earth. to complicate things there are currents in the atmosphere that blow at different directions .He achieved the circumnavigation by harnessing these currents. If he could make all the way to space , but unfortunately balloons cant do that because they depend on the displacement of air to achieve buoyancy. Edited July 24, 2016 by sirineou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOLDBUGGY Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 The distance was more than 21,000 Miles as the Russian took the longer route, yet completed that in 11 days. That is about an average speed of 80 mph. Maybe one should consider investing in a zeppelin instead on a car. But mine would have to be filled with Helium and not Hydrogen, as I like my smokes while flying and I miss the good old days. Smoking on flights with Hydrogen used could actually be a bit dangerous and as the airlines like you to believe when they fly now. But it sure seems like a great way to travel and at 80 mph pretty damned fast to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil B Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Russia get green light to continue cheating... The IOC did not have the balls to ban them from Rio... -- BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36878983 If Sid James and the gang was still around they could do another Carry On film "Carry On Cheating" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxYakov Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 (edited) Just take off and land 24 hrs later!!!... What's so hard about that?!!! (just let the earth rotate underneath...)... Hmmmmm.... Hmmmmm. I don't think a balloon could handle the 1000 mph velocity relative to the atmosphere it would take to do that. And balloons can't go extra-atmospheric either. PS: Hat tip to sirineou HERE. (I missed his post) Edited July 24, 2016 by MaxYakov Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammock Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 (edited) Russia get green light to continue cheating... The IOC did not have the balls to ban them from Rio... -- BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36878983 If Sid James and the gang was still around they could do another Carry On film "Carry On Cheating" A bad day for you, isn't it? Russia was allowed to participate in the Olympics. Continue cheating. You must be a sort of Jesus Christ without sins. Russia should freeze all relations with the West imho Edited July 24, 2016 by Hammock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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