A history of successful transatlantic balloon flights...







Double Eagle II



Date: 12th – 17th August 1978 

Pilots: Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman

Balloon: Helium - Yost GB-55. 160,000 cu ft (4,530 m3). s/n 108.

Registration: N50DE

Launch: Presque Isle, Maine, USA  46°37'36.48"N  068° 1'16.58"W (00:42 UTC 12 August).

Landing: Miserey, France  49° 0'50.23"N   001°16'14.76"E (1748 UTC 17 August)

Distance: 5,001.22 km (2,700.44 nm)

Duration: 137hrs 5mins 50sec (5.71 days)

Notes: First Transatlantic Balloon Flight




Rosie O’Grady



Date: 14th - 18th September 1984

Pilot:Joe Kittinger

Balloon: Helium. Yost GB-55. 106,000 cu ft (3,000 m³). AA-10. s/n 111. 

Registration: N53NY

Launch: Caribou, Maine, USA

Landing: Montenotte, Italy

Distance: 5,703.03 km (3,079.39 nm)

Duration: 86 hrs (3.58 days)

Notes: First Solo Transatlantic Balloon Flight



Dutch Viking



Date: 30th August - 2nd September 1986

Pilots: Henk Brink, Willem Hageman & Evelien Brink

Balloon :Roziere - Cameron Balloons R-225. 225,000 cu ft (6,370 m³). c/n 1230.

Registration: PH-EIS

Launch: St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada

Landing: Almere, Nr Amsterdam, Netherlands (2:08 a.m. EDT)

Distance: 4,057,732 km km (2,191.0 nm)

Duration: 51h 14m (2.13 days)

Notes: First Female Transatlantic Balloon Crew Member




Virgin Atlantic Flyer



Date:2nd – 3rd July 1987

Pilots:Per Lindstrand & Richard Branson

Balloon:Hot Air - Colt 2500A. 2,290,000 cu ft (64,845 m³). s/n 1100.

Registration: G-USUK

Launch: Sugarloaf, Maine, USA

Landing: Limavady, Northern Ireland. Then Ditched in Irish Sea

Distance: 4,486.5 km (2,422.52 nm)

Duration: 31hrs 41mins (1.32 days)




La Ciudad de Helva



Date: 8th - 14th February 1992

Pilots:Thomas Feliu & Jesus Gonzales Green

Balloon: Roziere. Cameron Balloons R-60. 60,000 cu ft (1,700 m³). s/n 2057.

Registration: G-BRGU

Launch: Hierro, Canary Islands

Landing:Maturin, Venezuela

Distance:5,046 km (2,724.62 nm)

Duration: 129h 10m (5.38 days)

Notes: First Transatlantic Balloon Flight From East to West




Chrysler 1



Date: 16th - 21st September 1992

Pilots: Wim Verstraeten & Bertrand Piccard (Belgium)

Balloon: Rozier. Cameron R-77. 77,000 cu ft (2,180 m³). s/n 2712.

Registration: G-BUFA

Launch: Bass Park Raceway. Bangor, Maine, USA. 44°47'25.49"N  068°46'57.80"W(0300 local (approx))

Landing: Peque, Spain

Distance: 4,931 km (2662.53 nm)

Duration: 119 hrs 20 min (4.97 days)

Notes: 1st Place in the Chrysler Transatlantic Challenge



Chrysler 3



Date:16th - 21st September 1992

Pilots: Don Cameron & Rob Bayly (UK)

Balloon: Rozier. Cameron R-77. 77,000 cu ft (2,180 m³). s/n 2823.

Registration: G-BUFC

Launch: Bass Park Raceway. Bangor, Maine, USA. 44°47'25.49"N 068°46'57.80"W(0300 local (approx))

Landing: Figueira da Foz, Portugal

Distance: 4,823.725 km (2,602.94 nm)



Chrysler 5



Date: 16th - 22nd September 1992

Pilots: Richard Abruzzo & Troy Bradley (USA)

Balloon: Roziere. Cameron R-77. 77,000 cu ft (2,180 m³). s/n 2825.

Registration: G-BUFE

Launch: Bass Park Raceway. Bangor, Maine, USA. 44°47'25.49"N 068°46'57.80"W(0300 local (approx))

Landing:Sidi Amar El Kadmiri, near Casablanca, Morocco

Distance:5,340.20 km (2,883.48nm)

Duration: 144 hrs 16 mins (6.01 days)

Notes: 3rd Place in the Chrysler Transatlantic Challenge



Peregrine



Date:18th - 22nd August 1994

Pilots:Steve Fossett & Tim Cole

Balloon: Roziere. Cameron R-77. 77,000 cu ft (2,180 m³). s/n 3228.

Registration: G-BVJO

Launch: Feildian Gardens, St.John's, Newfoundland, Canada 47°33'37.49"N 052°43'47.79"W (1130 Local 18AUG94)

Landing:Trittau, Near Hamburg, Germany 53°36'36.60"N 010°21'54.60"E

Distance: 4353.668 km (2350.8 nm)

Duration: 75hrs 20min




Region Lorraine



Date: 30th August – 5th September 2000

Pilots: Laurent Lajoye & Christophe Houver

Balloon: Roziere. Lindstrand LBL 77M. 77,000 cu ft (2,180 m³).

Launch: St John, New Brunswick, Canada 45°17'42.00"N 066° 7'4.80"W (0357UTC 30AUG00)

Landing: Saon, France 49°15'43.20"N 000°52'1.20"W (0636UTC 05SEP00)

Distance: 4,726 km (2551.84 nm)

Duration: 146 h 48 min 45 sec (6.12 days)

Notes: First French Crossing of The Atlantic




Uniq Atlantic Challenge

Date: 26th September 2003

Pilots: David Hempleman-Adams

Balloon: Roziere. AM08. 99,000cu ft 

Launch: Sussex NB, Canada

Landing: Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire, UK

Distance: 2,751 miles (4,427km)

Duration: 83hrs 17min

Notes: First transatlantic flight in an open wicker basket





Toshiba Transatlantic Challenge



Date: 3rd – 6th July 2007

Pilot: David Hempleman-Adams

Balloon: Helium. Padelt G-37. 37,000 cu ft (1,048m³). s/n 37TA.

Regiatration: N66050

Launch: St John’s Newfoundland 03JUL07 at 0000UTC

Landing: Nolay, France 46°57'21.30"N 004°38'59.39"E (06JUL07 at 1727UTC)

Distance: 4,227.10 km (2,282.45 nm)

Duration: 89hrs 20mins (3.72 days)

Notes:Smallest Balloon to Cross The Atlantic