Australian.Geographic_2014_01-02

2005

Vijaypat Singhania

set a new record,

reaching more than

69,000ft (21,000m) on a flight

from Mumbai, India, but

missed a target of 70,000ft.

January–February 2014 75

1993

AG founder Dick

Smith and balloonist

John Wallington

made the first non-stop

balloon crossing of the

Australian continent in the

Australian Geographic Flyer.

Australian designer

Phil Kavanagh made

his first flight in a

D77 hot-air balloon, Red

Tape. It was fitted with the

first Smart Vent deflation

system, which could open and

close on demand.

1967

First UK manned
free flight. Piloted
by Gerry Turnbull, it
was meant to be a tethered,
demo flight, but Bristol Belle
broke free and made history.

1987

Richard Branson and
Per Lindstrand made
the first hot-air
balloon trans-Atlantic
crossing in the Virgin Atlantic
Flyer. Controversy arose when
they landed just off the coast
of Rathlin Island in the Irish
Sea. The pair were separated

(^1994) VijVij Si hh ii
and Lindstrand swam for
hours in frigid waters before
being rescued.