Friday, November 09, 2012

Cluster-Balloonist to Cross the Atlantic

Will dangle from 365 balloons

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Cluster-balloonist Jonathan Trappe is planning to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a seven-foot lifeboat carried by 365 balloons. Trappe, who holds the record for crossing the Alps using balloons, flying the most cluster balloons, and flying the longest distance, made headlines in 2010 when he sailed 230 miles from England to Belgium dangling from a few dozen helium balloons. Five people have died attempting to cross the Atlantic in a balloon and none have yet tried it using cluster balloons. Trappe is attempting to raise $300,000 for the endeavor, which he plans to undertake next summer. Taking off from Maine, Trappe plans to head toward Paris at an altitude of 18,000 to 25,000 feet. "I didn't wake up one day and think: 'I'm going to fly across the Atlantic,'" said the adventurer. "Every attempt before this was geared toward this flight. I've been training for a long time."

Via The Telegraph

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