Beyond his flights, Bruce has driven innovation in ballooning, contributing to round-the-world attempts and developing technologies like autopilots and altitude alarms. His book, A Life in the Air, is a compelling chronicle of innovation, passion, and the indomitable spirit of flight, detailing his record-breaking adventures and the behind-the-scenes challenges that shaped them.

In an interview with Sitara Maruf, Bruce reflected on key moments from his extraordinary journey. Excerpts from their conversation are below, with more insights to follow in a forthcoming project.

Sitara Maruf: Let’s start with one of your remarkable achievements—your 1995 hot air balloon flight to 30,820 feet. How did you prepare for such a high-altitude flight?

Bruce Comstock: That altitude is above about 70% of the atmosphere, so oxygen levels are critically low. If your breathing oxygen system fails, you could lose consciousness in about 30 seconds and would be fatal if not addressed immediately. To prepare, I borrowed a military-grade oxygen mask and regulator from a friend who had flown F-4 jets in the Marines. I also carried a backup oxygen system, a simpler setup that could sustain me in case of failure.

Another challenge was modifying the balloon burner. Burners typically don’t work well at 30,000 feet because the flame lifts off the burner base due to the thin air and then goes out, releasing unburned propane. To solve this, I modified the jets and fed supplemental oxygen to the pilot light of one burner. This allowed me to relight the burner if it flamed out.

I was also fortunate to borrow the right size balloon from Cameron Balloons, even though I had recently left the company. It was critical to have the right equipment for reaching that altitude.

Gas balloons are somewhat easier to take to high altitudes because you can use a larger envelope to compensate. With a hot air balloon, you face the additional challenge of high envelope temperatures due to low air density at those altitudes. But that’s balanced by the fact that it’s incredibly cold at 30,000 feet, minus 65 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the envelope temperature was around 250 degrees, creating a temperature differential of about 315 degrees. This unusual difference was enough to generate lift in the thin air, where the density is only 28% of what it is at sea level.

Sitara Maruf: Could you share the purpose for making this flight?

Bruce Comstock: Many people ask why I attempted this flight. The International Aeronautic Federation (FAI) had established a pilot badge system with various levels of achievement—silver, gold, and diamond—based on completing tasks like distance, duration, altitude, and competition accuracy. For the highest diamond level, I had already completed everything except the altitude requirement: a flight to 9,000 meters, or about 29,000 feet.

Since I had already achieved the other requirements, I decided to take on this challenge. I aimed for 30,000 feet instead of 29,000 because it felt like a more significant milestone—a big round number.

During the flight, I encountered burner issues starting around 25,000 feet. The flame kept going out due to the thin air, and I had to adjust the position of the blast valve handle very carefully to keep the burner working. At one point, I removed a glove to make finer adjustments, but the extreme cold caused my hand to go numb. First, it hurt intensely, and then it stopped hurting entirely—a bad sign. I had to stop using that hand to avoid further damage.

Somewhere just over 30,000 feet, I thought, “This is the goal I set.” I was struggling with the burner, and I asked myself, why continue going higher? I had achieved my objective, and the issues with the burner were concerning. I was also spraying unburned propane into the envelope, which I didn’t like.

Sitara Maruf: Balloon pilots generally can’t fly above 18,000 feet because of air traffic control regulations to provide a separation between balloons and other aircraft.  Did the Federal Aviation Administration grant permission easily, considering the dangers of high-altitude flights?

Bruce Comstock: That was interesting. I contacted the Air Route Traffic Control Center in Cleveland, which oversees southern Michigan, and was quickly connected to someone managing airspace restrictions. I had also approached my local FAA office beforehand. Those conversations were… interesting. The local office said they couldn’t grant permission and had to “bump it up to Washington.” I immediately thought, “This will take years.” They believed I needed a special permit, but I realized that wasn’t the case. So, I contacted the Air Route Traffic Control Center in Cleveland directly. I explained my plan to take off early, possibly before sunrise, to minimize interference with passenger traffic between Detroit and Chicago. I also assured them I’d only stay at high altitude briefly before descending. He told me, “You have just as much right to be there as the jets do.” That was a relief. (laughs)

Sitara Maruf: At high altitudes, beyond 20,000 feet, how does the thin air affect the ascent and descent of a balloon?

Bruce Comstock: The thin air is actually advantageous in some ways. Air produces drag, which you need to overcome during ascent. At high altitudes, with less air density, the drag is significantly reduced. On descent, the thin air allows the balloon to descend faster without collapsing as much as it would at lower altitudes.

Sitara Maruf: You created an autopilot for Steve Fossett’s Atlantic flight in a Rozière balloon. Could you explain how it works and its role in long-distance ballooning?

Bruce Comstock: After getting involved in ballooning, I realized it was possible to build a device to sense air pressure and keep a balloon level—essentially an autopilot. In the late 1970s, before digital computers, I taught myself to design analog circuits and built a simple autopilot in my basement. It wasn’t highly developed, but it worked. Don Cameron knew about it and told Steve Fossett to contact me when he needed an autopilot for his Atlantic flight.

Steve asked me several times to make one, but I initially declined because of the tight timeline. However, my friend Tim Cole, who was flying with Steve, convinced me to create a basic autopilot as a favor. It was a rudimentary device, and I considered it be something of a “toy.”

This autopilot wasn’t very precise—it drifted 600-800 feet off altitude in a few hours because it only used a rate-of-climb instrument, not a pressure sensor. After the Atlantic flight, I told Steve I could build a more reliable one and suggested making two for redundancy.

Sitara Maruf: Did the autopilot detect bad weather or shifting winds?

Bruce Comstock: No, its sole purpose was to maintain a constant altitude. It used an air pressure sensor and a sensitive electronic rate-of-climb input. If the balloon deviated from the desired altitude, the autopilot adjusted to bring it back. For this, I learned to program a single-board industrial digital computer, which was quite a challenge at the time.

Sitara Maruf: For your Aspen-to-Altoona flight, you used the same Rozière balloon that Steve Fossett flew for his successful Atlantic crossing. Flying at night over the Colorado mountains, with peaks reaching 14,000 feet, must have been daunting. How does mountainous terrain affect the balloon and wind patterns?

Bruce Comstock: I had no prior experience flying over mountains, but I remembered a paper by an Austrian balloonist. He warned that if winds at the elevation of the terrain reach 30 knots or more, mountain waves can form. These waves occur when air is forced up by ridges, overshoots, and then oscillates in waves. Flying in those conditions is untenable for a balloon. For this flight, I carefully checked wind forecasts and ensured the conditions were safe before takeoff.

Sitara Maruf: Let’s move on to Steve Fossett’s solo Pacific flight. You worked as co-launch director. What challenges did you face?

Bruce Comstock: Having Nick Saum as a co-director made a big difference. We could share responsibilities and discuss decisions. Nick and I worked on three of Steve’s launches: the Pacific flight, and two of his round-the-world attempts, the first one from the Stratobowl, and the second one from St. Louis.

We didn’t come in at the beginning of the projects, so we often had to work with equipment and decisions already made by Steve and his team. That was frustrating at times, but our job was to ensure everything was ready and functioning, and to oversee the balloon inflation—a complex process.

The Pacific flight required Steve to fly at very high altitudes, where it gets extremely cold. Nick and I realized the propane wouldn’t vaporize at those temperatures, causing the burner to fail. From prior experiments, I knew ethane could work in cold conditions. It burns similarly to propane and mixes well with it.

Nick, a PhD from the Colorado School of Mines, was incredibly sharp when it came to science. I also have a good technical background, so we worked well together. At dinner one evening, I explained to Steve the problem and proposed a solution: blending ethane with propane. It would cost $12,000 to $14,000, and Steve simply said, “Okay, I’ll order it in the morning.”

The logistical hurdles were significant. The ethane had to be sourced from Canada, shipped to Korea, and cleared through customs. Dealing with Korean customs was complex, and Steve was opposed to bribery, but the process may have involved some—not something we were directly involved in.

Sitara Maruf: Just as the balloon was ready to launch, Steve, already in the capsule, opened the hatch and asked you to show him how to use the autopilot. What did you do—and what did you feel?

Bruce Comstock: <Laughs> That felt a little bit frustrating! But I climbed in and showed him. For this Pacific flight Steve had the “toy” analog autopilot.

Sitara Maruf: Then you came up with a better autopilot, which Steve called the “Comstock Autopilot?”

Bruce Comstock: Yes, before Steve’s next round-the-world flight attempt, I designed and built a good autopilot for Steve.  This autopilot, which Steve immediately named the “Comstock Autopilot”, was based on a single board digital computer.  It required some patience to operate. I had designed it to watch the human pilot fly the balloon first. Instead of directly using the burner valve, the balloon pilot would control the burner through a switch on the autopilot. The autopilot would then learn how much heating was necessary to maintain altitude.

When designing it, I wanted the autopilot to work with any balloon, regardless of its specifications, without needing to know anything specific about the balloon. The autopilot learned about the balloon by observing a human pilot for about a minute, although it could take longer—sometimes two minutes—depending on the flight conditions. It needed to see a sufficient amount of heating time to accurately determine the balloon’s parameters.

Once it had enough information, the autopilot would notify the pilot—via a flashing light and an audible alarm —that it had taken over. From that point, the autopilot managed the flying.

Sitara Maruf: Late in the flight over the Pacific, there was no communication from Steve for about eight hours until he sent a message saying “That’s Vancouver Island below me.  I have made the Pacific. Cheers, Steve”.  What caused the communication blackout?

Bruce Comstock: It’s our belief that he turned off the master switch to save electricity. That was strange because it shut off everything, including the transponder. He was running low on power and had a generator and some large lead-acid batteries, but I guess he was having trouble with the generator and didn’t want to risk using up all the electricity.

Turning off the master switch meant the automatic position reports also stopped. Every 30 minutes, his GPS position was supposed to be sent to the communication center in England. I was there when people started wringing their hands in despair. I told the guy in charge, “I’m not overly concerned—Steve has probably just turned off the master switch to save power.” And that’s exactly what had happened.

What’s incredible is that Bo Kemper, who had high-level contacts in Washington, called someone in the Defense Department. At the time, a U.S. fleet was conducting maneuvers near Steve’s location. Bo managed to get them to launch a plane from an aircraft carrier, and it found Steve and reported back.

Sitara Maruf: Let’s talk about Steve’s first solo round-the-world attempt. You were the launch director along with Nick Saum, and Steve also had another engineer, Andy Elson, from England. Steve launched from the Strato Bowl in South Dakota, but after flying about 100 miles over the Atlantic Ocean, a low-pressure system intensified unexpectedly. There was a snowstorm. The balloon blew back to Canada and ultimately crashed into the Bay of Fundy, and Steve was rescued by the Coast Guard.

Bruce Comstock: He didn’t exactly land in the Bay of Fundy, but he was flung back onto land after crashing down in the water. The balloon hit the water hard, and it ripped off the solar array and the generator, which were fragile. My comment at the time was that both the generator and the solar array were where they belonged—at the bottom of the Bay of Fundy!

Steve asked Nick and me to fly up to where the balloon had landed and manage getting it packed up and sent back to England. The balloon was pretty well destroyed and never flown again. When we got there, we were a little depressed about how the flight had turned out. The envelope itself had problems separate from the weather. Steve was lucky he got flung back onto land after crashing into the water.

Sitara Maruf: Was this the first time a solar array was used for electric power?

Bruce Comstock: I’m not sure, but [during preparations] when we got to the Strato Bowl, we found this big solar array—about five feet by eight feet—designed to hang beneath the capsule. It had an automatic rotator to keep it pointed at the sun, but all its weight hung on a tiny aluminum shaft in the rotator. It was ridiculous and doomed to failure. We found a machinist to make a stainless-steel part to replace it, which helped, but the whole thing was cumbersome and not a good idea.

This problem arose because we were not involved in the early decisions. The flight was doomed partly because the envelope wasn’t working properly, and partly because the electrical system was far too complicated. It had the solar panel, storage batteries, a generator, and a charge controller trying to keep everything working.

When I got to the town where we were recovering the envelope, the first thing I did was think about how to simplify things. I realized we could get rid of the solar panel, generator, and charge controller by just using good batteries. It wasn’t elegant to some people, but in my mind, it was.

We put Bo Kemper to work with his contacts in the Defense Department, and he found excellent batteries for us. They worked perfectly. They cost over $20,000 for the flight, and when they weren’t needed anymore, they were just discarded as ballast. It was simple: batteries, good wiring, and proper circuit breakers. And it worked, guaranteed.

On January 12, 1996, Bruce Comstock and Nick Saum launched Steve Fossett from St. Louis. Fossett flew halfway around the world in the complex 210,000-cubic-foot Rozière balloon, ultimately landing in India. He persevered through scattered thunderstorms and flew just far enough to set the longest distance and duration world records. “We apparently had figured out how to do this right,” recounted Comstock in his book A Life in the Air.

Sitara Maruf: Let’s take a step back. What sparked your passion for ballooning?

Bruce Comstock: It’s funny to think about now, but 55 years ago, ballooning was almost unheard of. I was mowing the lawn of my house during grad school at the University of Michigan when I saw a balloon fly by. I was stunned. My wife and I hopped into our Volkswagen and chased it. It was a tiny one-person chair balloon, flown by a plastic surgeon who lived nearby. We talked to the pilot. Balloons cost around $5,000 for a two-person model, which was completely out of reach for a grad student.

Sitara Maruf: So how did you eventually make it happen?

Bruce Comstock: A few years later, after I had a steady job, we took a $5 helicopter ride at a carnival. It was noisy, shaky, and uncomfortable, but as we flew over the woods, I kept thinking, “What would this be like in a balloon?”

When I got home, I pulled out information I’d saved about ballooning and contacted a company in South Dakota. They told me there was an instructor about an hour away from my home. That summer on weekends, I learned to fly. That’s how I earned my pilot’s license.

Sitara Maruf: You and Tucker, your wife at the time, discovered ballooning together. Did sharing that passion shape your journey?

Bruce Comstock: Oh, absolutely. Tucker is an amazing balloonist—she was inducted into the U.S. Ballooning Hall of Fame a couple of years ago. We did everything together, and I wouldn’t have accomplished even half of what I did without her.

I actually apologized to her years later, after we divorced. I worried I had dragged her into something that was my passion, not hers. She assured me she loved the journey as much as I did. Together, we complemented each other’s strengths and made ambitious decisions, like starting a balloon manufacturing business after I won the World Championship. When I think back now, especially about the decision to manufacture balloons, I sometimes wonder, What were we thinking? (laughs) The chances of succeeding were slim, but we just went for it.

Sitara Maruf: Over your career, how have you seen ballooning evolve in terms of technology and challenges?

Bruce Comstock: Balloons today are so much better than they were 50 years ago. I competed for about 23 years continuously, and by my last decade, the equipment had drastically improved.

For example, the balloon I learned on had a burner with a heat output of about 4 million BTUs per hour on a good day. Of that, about 1 million BTUs just kept the balloon in the air. In winter, with lower fuel pressure, it was even less! By contrast, the competition balloon I flew later in my career had a double burner capable of producing 52 million BTUs per hour. That’s a huge leap in power!

But learning on that older, underpowered balloon made me a better pilot because I had to pay close attention and solve problems without relying on power I didn’t have. It taught me to stay sharp and proactive.

Sitara Maruf: What about the balloon designs themselves?

Bruce Comstock: Everything about them has improved. The balloon I learned on had an aluminum gondola with a fiberglass floor and rigid metal sides. It wasn’t forgiving—on hard landings, I’d get bruises from banging against the big 20-gallon tanks on either side.

Today’s baskets are much more sophisticated. They’re built with flexible structural elements hidden inside, which absorb impact and reduce the risk of injury during landings. The fabrics are specifically designed and engineered for use in hot air balloons. There’s really no comparison.

Sitara Maruf: Are you still involved in lighter-than-air activities or flying?

Bruce Comstock: I haven’t flown much recently. A couple of years ago, my wife and I visited Ann Arbor and stopped by the Cameron factory. Andy and his wife had a balloon set up, and I asked if I could inflate it. I promised, “I won’t burn it!” (laughs) He agreed, and after a quick briefing on the burner—because they’ve evolved over the years—I inflated the balloon. Then Andy, Karen, and I took off, and I piloted the entire flight.

Before that, I had a balloon in Oregon for a while, but flying there was challenging. It’s all small mountain valleys where you can only fly in the morning, and you can’t go too far because the retrieval gets complicated once you leave the valley. I found it boring.

Few times, I flew in California’s Shasta Valley, which is a big, flat area. There’s no wind in the morning because cold air settles into the valley overnight. I calculated that for my four flights there, my average speed was about one mile per hour. You could practically crawl at that speed! And as I have said this many times, after flying at 100 miles per hour in a balloon, it’s hard to get excited about flying at one mile per hour.

Sitara Maruf: Is there anything you’d like to add?

Bruce Comstock: I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful that I stumbled into ballooning—or got sucked into it. That led to a truly fascinating life. Now I often say that when I visit a balloon museum, I feel like one of the artifacts! (laughs)

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The Test Flight

Space Perspective’s goal is to give passengers a serene journey to the edge of space, without the intense speed, heavy G-forces, or tough training that come with rocket launches. The pressurized capsule, launched from the MS Voyager, slowly rose at 12 miles per hour, taking two hours to reach the stratosphere. It then floated at peak altitude for another two hours before making a controlled descent, landing softly in the ocean after a six-hour flight. A quick boat and crane were ready to retrieve the capsule, demonstrating the smooth and efficient operation of the space journey.

The success of the test flight was a result of five years of hard work. “Completing Development Flight 2 is a defining moment for Space Perspective,” said Taber MacCallum, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer. “I’m so proud of our devoted team who has worked relentlessly to execute this mission, drawing from their deep expertise and designing solutions for never-been-seen technologies. This uncrewed flight not only proves our pioneering technology but also brings us a giant leap closer to making space accessible for everyone and reaffirms our belief in the transformative power of space travel.”

Technology and System Overview

Spaceship Neptune has three main parts: the SpaceBalloon, the pressurized capsule, and a Reserve Descent System―four parachutes between the capsule and balloon—that can activate at once if anything goes wrong, ensuring a safe landing.

The balloon was launched using a special four-roller system, which kept it steady and safe as it climbed into the stratosphere. This system allows them to operate flights year-round from anywhere in the world. The capsule designed to carry eight passengers and a pilot, is spacious with a 16-foot diameter, providing over 2,000 cubic feet of pressurized space. It also has the largest UV-protected windows ever flown into space. At its highest point, the cabin pressure stayed stable, highlighting impressive engineering in spacecraft design.

The capsule’s advanced temperature control systems kept everything comfortable during the flight, even as it faced the freezing cold of the upper atmosphere and the intense heat from the sun. The SpaceBalloon, when fully expanded, has a volume of 18,000,000 cubic feet—large enough to fit an entire football stadium. Standing over 700 feet tall at launch, the SpaceBalloon surpasses the height of the Washington Monument. Hydrogen, used as the lift gas, is both renewable and effective, marking a step toward eco-friendly space travel.

Mission Control closely monitored the operations, testing out their special software and communication systems. The spaceship’s descent is controlled by releasing just enough gas to maintain a comfortable descent speed.

Jane Poynter, co-founder of Space Perspective, shared her excitement, saying, “This flight showed how smooth and accessible the Spaceship Neptune experience is, from the gentle ascent to the splashdown.”

Looking Ahead

Space Perspective has raised $100 million from investors and adheres to safety standards set by the FAA, U.S. Coast Guard, and NASA. Notably, Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Galactic, is also one of their investors. On October 17, the company announced that Branson will join co-founders Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum as a co-pilot for the first crewed mission of Spaceship Neptune. Branson has a long history of bold adventures and record-breaking feats in both business and exploration. In ballooning, his memorable achievements are his hot-air balloon flights with Per Lindstrand, crossing the Atlantic in 1987 and the Pacific in 1991.

Space Perspective plans to run a few more test flights before taking people up in 2025, with regular commercial flights starting in 2026. They’ve already sold over 1,800 tickets, each costing $125,000.

According to Jane Poynter, the best views will be during predawn departures, when ‘explorers’ can marvel at the starscape before sunrise, and then watch the Sun light up the Earth’s curvature, highlighting the bright blue line of our atmosphere, and the dark vastness of space. Passengers will have a nearly 360-degree view, stretching 450 miles in every direction through the panoramic windows. The six-hour flight offers many opportunities to take photos, enjoy meals and drinks, and even livestream the journey to share with loved ones on Earth. And for those who need a bathroom break, there’s the ‘Space Spa’ with an unparalleled view of the universe.

Space tourism is a new frontier for adventurous explorers, but the idea of traveling by a thin polyethylene balloon can make people nervous. A common question is, ‘What if the balloon tears or pops?’ Well, Space Perspective has an answer. They use SpaceBalloon technology, which has been tested over 1,000 times by NASA and other organizations, so it’s proven to be very safe. The balloon is a ‘zero-pressure’ type, meaning there’s no pressure difference between the inside and the outside, so it can’t actually pop. Even if it punctures, the balloon will just slowly descend and land safely, ensuring everyone on board is secure. The backup Reserve Descent System, with parachutes that have brought people and equipment back safely from space over 1,000 times, adds another layer of safety.

Some people are concerned about using hydrogen because it’s highly flammable. Space Perspective explains they had two options for lifting Spaceship Neptune—helium or hydrogen. Helium is safe, but it’s also a non-renewable gas and is in short supply. It’s needed for important medical equipment like MRIs, so using it for space travel would compete with those critical needs.

Hydrogen, on the other hand, is a renewable resource and is now widely used in fuel cells, vehicles, and even airplanes worldwide. Modern balloon technology has come a long way since the Hindenburg airship disaster in 1937. The tragedy happened because the airship wasn’t designed to safely use hydrogen—hydrogen mixed with air, creating a combustible situation, which was then ignited by a spark that led to the fire. Today, however, hydrogen balloons are designed with advanced safety measures, and thousands of flights are conducted safely every year. Hydrogen has become a reliable and proven option for balloon travel.

For those wondering, ‘Is 100,000 feet really space?’ Technically, it’s not. The official boundary, called the Kármán line, is at 328,084 feet, or 100 kilometers, above sea level. But at 100,000 feet, you’re already above 99% of Earth’s atmosphere, and for practical purposes—like the breathtaking view, the conditions for human safety, and the sense of being beyond Earth—you are in space. Passengers get to experience an incredible, otherworldly view that very few have seen before. Plus, at that altitude, the flight meets U.S. regulations to be classified as a spacecraft.

In addition to tourism, the company supports scientific research by planning to carry research equipment alongside passengers in future flights. The largely unexplored stratosphere offers numerous opportunities for new experiments and discoveries. Their team has been part of developing every U.S. human spacecraft over the past 40 years. They use patented technologies based on designs tested by NASA and other organizations—proven to handle payloads even heavier than the Spaceship Neptune capsule.

Space Perspective, based on Florida’s Space Coast, was founded by Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, veterans of human spaceflight and original members of the Biosphere 2 project. Their background includes developing environmental control systems for the International Space Station (ISS) through their company, Paragon Space Development Corporation. In 2014, their StratEx team launched Alan Eustace to 135,908 feet under a space balloon, breaking the Red Bull Stratos record for the highest space dive. With decades of experience, the Space Perspective team is pushing the boundaries of space tourism, making it accessible to more people than ever before.

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They were equipped with high-tech communication and tracking devices, but they would fly without the aid of pressurized or floating capsules. Their basic essentials included a camping stove for cooking and winter coats to combat the freezing temperatures.

Bert Padelt chose Presque Isle as the launch site due to its northern location with favorable winds to Europe and for its historical significance as the launch site for Double Eagle II’s transatlantic balloon flight. Additionally, being nearly 200 miles inland allows pilots to assess the balloon’s performance before advancing over the Atlantic.
The launch preparations were exhilarating, and Bert was overwhelmed with emotions. “My past experiences on many projects of this magnitude did not prepare me for this. I used to be the one inflating the balloon; now, I was in bed, struggling to calm my mind for some sleep,” said Bert.

From his bedroom window, Bert watched the launch site. Unable to sleep, he left the window open to hear the hydrogen inflating the balloon. He woke two hours later to see the balloon standing tall. Still too excited to sleep, he followed the launch preparations on Facebook, where spectators shared videos from the site.

Later, Bert walked to the field and was filled with pride at the sight of the balloon he and his wife Joanie had built, now filled to 80 percent capacity and glowing under the floodlights. The smiling faces of his dedicated team, comprising expert balloon pilots and locals organized by Paul Cyr for parking and inflation, brought him great satisfaction.

Final Preparations and Launch

They would fly under 20,000 feet, typically considered a low to mid-level flight. “That is the classiest way to fly a balloon across the Atlantic. You are in the elements, not flying above the weather, but in it,” said Bert Padelt in an interview with Sitara Maruf. Ideal weather for such a flight is typically in early fall or summer. So, they decided to try the flight in June. “Our thoughts, along with the meteorologists, were that the water temperatures wouldn’t be warming up yet, reducing the chance of convective activity,” explained Bert.  

Wim De Troyer served as the meteorologist.  In addition, Bert also consulted with his good friend and U.S. meteorologist Don Day.  The briefing on Thursday evening showed promising flight prospects for a Friday evening launch, with no thunderstorms and a perfect forecast confirmed by both meteorologists.

On Friday morning, every weather track looked favorable for their 10 PM launch to Europe. The plan was to ascend to 6,000 to 8,000 feet on the first day and then go up 2,000 feet per day, aiming to land in France or northern Spain in four days. “That was ideal for the way the balloon is designed,” said Bert.  The prediction was that they would enter Europe at 17,000 feet with an average speed of 25 miles per hour.

David tried to get some sleep. “I was excited and anxious, so it didn’t work. We must have had 50 people in the team working with us. Very humbling,” said David, who had earlier pulled Bert away from the crowd and urged him to rest before the long flight ahead.

Just before launch came the unexpected weather update from Wim. “Instead of climbing to 6,000 to 8,000 feet, he now wanted 8,000 to 10,000 feet, meaning we would have to lose more ballast before launch,” said David. “So right there, we’re knocking a day off the balloon’s duration,” added Bert.

Before launch, a gas balloon is weighed off so that on launch it rises to a specific height, reaching equilibrium between the weight of the balloon, the volume of the gas giving the lift, and the air pressure at a specific altitude.

During the final preparations, Bert sent out a thank you message to all their supporters. “The dream is about to take a major step. I am excited!” he said. John Piper recited the balloonist’s prayer, and they took off in their balloon N56US at 02:35 UTC (local time10:35 PM). “The balloon rose majestically into the night sky; well over a thousand people on the ground were clapping and cheering,” said Clive Bailey, from the Flight Control Center in Bristol.

Joanie looked visibly shaken, and Ros Smith stood speechless beside her as the balloon ascended, eventually resembling a flashing star in the sky.

The first 24 hours of a gas balloon flight are crucial, especially with an ocean ahead. Kevin Stass from Mission Control coordinated with aviation authorities, air traffic control, and search and rescue centers to ensure a safe and clear corridor for the balloon’s journey. “Although any rescue required would be automatically triggered by the activation of the Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) carried by the crew, it is important to give the SAR units as much information as possible before a (hopefully) unlikely event,” Kevin noted.

The balloon was equipped with sophisticated tracking and communication devices. “We have two Yellow Bricks that will give position and altitude reports at intervals of anywhere from 10 seconds to 2 hours, an inReach for position and text messages, and two independent satellite phones for communication with our control center,” said David. They also carried an HF radio, similar to the Double Eagle II balloon team.

The Flight

Bert flew the balloon while David handled the radio communication with Presque Isle and Boston ATC. “Gas balloon N56US,” he called out. “Hello, we have been expecting you,” came the reply, wishing them good luck. For the first few hours, the balloon was settling in, going up and down, but it flew beautifully, and Bert was very happy with its performance. Frederik went to sleep right away.

As they climbed, it got colder. Then came another unexpected weather update from Clive in the control room. “Once we were in the air, 10,000 feet wasn’t giving Wim the direction he wanted. He needed a 90-degree or 80-degree heading, but ours was closer to 75 degrees. His concern was that we would be north of Gander, missing the tracks needed to reach France and heading into a storm in Scotland with poor landing conditions. So, we had to go higher. I decided to wait until sunrise to see if we would get any superheating.”

To stay south of Gander, they would need to climb to 12,000 feet or higher by jettisoning valuable ballast. “The duration of a flight depends on the amount of ballast you have remaining, so it’s important to conserve it, especially early in the flight,” reflected David.

Once they entered Canada, David took a three-hour nap. It was decided that Bert would fly the balloon until sunrise to see how it was performing. Their communication system Starlink performed flawlessly and provided clear WhatsApp video calls.

At sunrise, the sky was overcast, a condition forecasted to persist for two days, preventing any superheating from sunlight. “To achieve the desired heading, Wim proposed climbing to altitudes of 12,000, then 13,000, and 14,000 feet the next day,” Bert noted. Even at these altitudes over the Gulf of St. Lawrence, there was no guarantee of finding the 90-degrees heading. “The frustrations on flights like these may come in the middle or end of the flight, but not within the first six to 24 hours. It’s expected that the tail end of the flight is not going to be what it looked like when you took off, but the first 12 to 24 hours should go as forecast. So early in the flight, you don’t expect to make dramatic changes and sacrifice ballast,” explained Bert.

What if they had to make many such maneuvers across the Atlantic? Bert quickly did the math. “If we didn’t need more maneuvering, we’d have about 10 bags left entering Europe after the last sunset ballasting. That would be enough to land the balloon. But what if we had another forced climb? A 2,000-foot climb would use those 10 bags. For estimating ballast at the end of the flight, you consider the worst-case scenario, so I was thinking conservatively. It would be very close, and we might not have enough ballast,” he thought.

The Decision to Land

Just before David woke up, Bert had spoken with Clive, who emphasized the need to climb higher. However, Bert decided not to jettison any more ballast, maintaining the balloon’s altitude between 9,000 and 10,000 feet. The sun appeared for five minutes before disappearing behind thick clouds. With an overcast sky forecasted for the next two days and the coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence rapidly approaching, they concluded that landing the balloon quickly was the right decision.

David nearly cried at the thought of his friend Bert giving up his dream of crossing the Atlantic. Drawing on his 40 years of ballooning experience, Bert was confident that a good decision for a pilot involves safely landing the crew, passengers (especially Frederik, who weighed heavily on his mind), and the aircraft.

After flying 125 nautical miles, he began a steep descent, looking for a safe landing spot. The area lacked civilization. “From 10,000 feet, we had little time to get down before reaching the coast. I piloted the largest gas balloon I’ve ever flown, descending at 1,200 feet per minute, leveled it out, and landed on a dirt road, with trees on either side. The balloon and all of the equipment came back intact,” said Bert. It was 09:41 UTC (6:41 AM local time) when they landed at Christies Landing, in New Brunswick, Canada.

They kept the balloon standing for as long as possible, then lightened the load before moving it to an open area by a cabin. “We started removing equipment while I vented hydrogen to keep the balloon heavy. After two or three hours, it got windy, so I pulled the deflation port and brought the balloon down. It was a good decision, as the wind reached 25 knots while we waited for the crew to arrive.

The Retrieval

The retrieval crew in Presque Isle had gone to bed at 2 AM. Around 5 AM, Ros received a call from Clive: “Hello darling, they’re landing. The weather’s changed, and they won’t have enough ballast.” Joanie and others quickly arranged cars and collected the trailer from Paul’s, setting out on a four-hour drive to retrieve the crew and the balloon.

The balloon had come down in a remote area with only trees, shrubs, and logging tracks. “It felt like we were lost in a complex maze, the center always close but never in reach,” said Ros. Many tracks were blocked by water or impassable, even though Jason Fischer was using satellite images from Google Maps to guide them.

When they found the crew, they had a brew on, the balloon laid out, sandbags emptied, and the kit organized, ready to pack. They had been on the ground for six hours. “They were exactly the same people that we had waved off at the launch site and treated both the excitement of launch and the disappointment of an early landing with complete equanimity. Despite the sleeplessness and disappointment, they were still calm, charming, warm, solid men,” said Ros.

Reflection and Gratitude

According to Jason, Bert Padelt’s aircraft had performed flawlessly; the teams, navigation, and communication all worked as designed.

Bert Padelt had envisioned doing such a flight “without being under the microscope,” but since they had sponsorship, this was not the case. The adventure’s expenses were sponsored by Torabhaig Single Malt Whisky, owned by Dr. Frederik Paulsen. However, everyone involved participated voluntarily without any payment. “Having a sponsor means the world is watching your every move.  I was disappointed to come back after all the exposure.  I was also disappointed for the people of Presque Isle, who were so supportive and came to express their gratitude. Many of them were there when the Double Eagle II took off, and I was giving them back a memory,” said Bert. 

Looking back, Bert mentioned he wouldn’t have done anything differently in terms of preparation or execution, except for minor adjustments like fewer people on the inflation team, or the way some equipment was placed.

David, who has flown solo over the Atlantic Ocean twice in an open basket, says he owes his successes to Bert Padelt’s expertise and involvement in his flights. “I have been involved with several Atlantic flights; none have been so well organized. None, on takeoff, had such a good forecast, and on not one did the forecast become so unstable and change so quickly. The weather has been so cruel,” said David.

Did they encounter an “inversion,” where a warmer air layer above cooler air causes the balloon to lose altitude? Although Wim had mentioned an inversion above them, Bert was not convinced the balloon was being affected by this inversion and did not feel the balloon was using additional ballast. 

Bert agrees that the weather has been fluctuating more nowadays than it was in the 1970s or 80s. The crew had consulted top weather experts who used advanced technology, including powerful computers and satellite data from across the North Atlantic. “When I was involved with Steve Fossett’s around-the-world flight, we would occasionally have to cancel the first identified good weather window and wait for the next one. However, four days out, everything would line up, giving us confidence, and it did not suddenly change. This was true for all seven of his attempts that I was involved in…only one instance there was a thunderstorm. This year could be a fluke, I don’t know. Last year, we had all the hurricanes that presented a problem in September, which is why we decided to go in June.” he said.

This year preparations resumed in May 2024, but weather forecasts continued to fluctuate rapidly. Two weeks before their June 28th launch, David and his team flew to Presque Isle on June 15th for a potential launch on 16^th night or 17^th morning. However, soon after they boarded the flight, they received an email from Wim, marking 17th as “red” for takeoff.

Bert believes flying higher in the jet stream makes crossing the Atlantic by balloon easier and quicker than at lower altitudes, where weather challenges are more common. Despite the difficulties, he remains committed to the dream. “It’s all doable. Maybe next year, and if Torabhaig continues to sponsor us, the weather will be kind and favorable to us”, he hopes. 

“The success I’ve had in ballooning has not come without failures,” says Bert. “And this failure was seen by a lot of people. I call it a failure because we didn’t make it across, but it’s not a failure in the sense that all equipment operated smoothly and is intact, the balloon’s design is sound, and it flew beautifully, and all participants are safe. So, if you want to call it a test flight, it was very successful.”

Moreover, “those six hours in the air were the happiest six hours of my life,” he adds. These hours were intensely personal, a time for reflection on his childhood dreams of flight. “As a young kid, I would fantasize, closing my eyes and imagining what it must be like to take off and spend the first night in a balloon flying across Canada.” For him, those six hours were about living in the moment, fully embracing and enjoying every minute of his long-anticipated experience.

In a blog post on the Torabhaig Atlantic Explorer Diary 2024, written a week after their flight, David reflects, “The weather we would have encountered at the proposed time of landing looks horrendous. Even if we had made landfall, which is doubtful, it certainly wouldn’t have been a stand-up landing for sure. For me, this reconfirms that we made the right decision.”

In a contemplative tone, Sir David Hempleman-Adams captures the essence of their endeavor, acknowledging that the dream transcends the pilots themselves.

This article features quotes and content from an interview with Bert Padelt and the Torabhaig Atlantic Explorer Diary 2024, used with permission from Sarah Belizaire-Butler.

Feature photo credit: Paul Cyr

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The Kindle version of the book, “Just Wind: Tales of Two Pilots Under Pressure” by William G. Armstrong Jr. was released last year and is as relevant today as it was at its first print publication in 2003. Armstrong’s meticulous and balanced recounting of these high-flying adventures ensures that this book appeals to seasoned balloonists, curious newcomers, and anyone intrigued by adventure, drama, innovation, and the resilience of the human spirit.

With humor, detail, and surprising candor, the stratospheric expeditions of two pioneering balloonists, Tom Gatch and Larry Newman, are recounted from an insider’s perspective, as the author served as the publicist for both projects. Armstrong’s experience—as a commercial pilot for gas and hot air balloons, a writer/editor, and an executive in several national ballooning organizations—adds depth and authenticity to the narrative, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into the world of high-stakes ballooning.

Tom Gatch emerges as a pioneering figure in ballooning, renowned for his innovative use of super-pressure balloon technologyand daring spirit. Larry Newman, on the other hand, represents the competitive and record-setting side of ballooning. His ambitious attempts to break records and achieve new heights are detailed with an intensity that reflects the highly stressful nature of these extreme endeavors.

Armstrong writes with a fluidity that draws readers into the narrative, blending technical details with rich, character-driven stories. He is candid and objective, presenting his subjects with a balanced view that highlights their positive qualities and their human flaws. This authenticity allows readers to connect with the characters on a personal level.

Tom Gatch’s Daring Atlantic Attempt

 The book opens with the gripping story of Tom Gatch, a self-reliant and determined balloonist who set out solo in 1974 to be the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean using a 10-balloon cluster. Financing his venture independently, he meticulously prepared for the flight, equipping his aircraft, Light Heart, with the necessary supplies and navigation tools. Launching from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Gatch’s flight initially showed promise as he navigated the jet stream’s favorable winds. However, an hour after takeoff, high over the ocean at night, one balloon in his cluster ruptured, presenting a significant threat that required quick thinking and resource management. 

Communication with Gatch became sporadic during the next day, and he eventually disappeared without a trace.The subsequent search by the U.S. Department of Defense yielded no results, leaving Gatch’s fate a mystery and his attempt a poignant reminder of the risks inherent in pioneering aviation. Armstrong captures the tension and paints a vivid picture of the relentless pressure faced by Gatch. The narrative not only highlights the technical aspects but also delves into Gatch’s emotional and psychological journey, making it a gripping read.

Larry Newman’s Transglobal Attempts

The Earthwinds project, a major focus of the book, represents the zenith of ballooning ambition. The goal in the 1990s was to complete a non-stop balloon flight around the world. Newman, who had already been part of crews that crossed the Atlantic and the Pacific, led an international crew in the Earthwinds balloon, aiming to achieve the first non-stop flight around the world. This heavily marketed and expensive expedition showcased the complexities and dangers of stratospheric ballooning.

Newman often claimed that his 354-foot-tall double-balloon with a pressurized three-man capsule was more complex to fly than the Space Shuttle. Armstrong meticulously documents the three attempts made by the Earthwinds team, each fraught with its own unique set of challenges and setbacks. The author’s detailed recounting of the technical aspects, the emotional highs and lows, and the logistical hurdles offers readers a comprehensive understanding of the dedication and effort required for such extraordinary feats.

Moreover, Armstrong situates the Earthwinds project within the broader context of the 1990s, a period marked by renewed interest in round-the-world ballooning. Several teams were vying for this achievement, leading to fierce competition and significant technological advancements. The preparations involved sophisticated weather prediction models, advanced balloon designs, and international collaborations, all meticulously documented in the book.

Through his engaging and informative narration, the author effectively conveys the significant impact of two major sponsors on these ambitious ballooning endeavors. Barron Hilton, a hotel magnate and aviation enthusiast, played a crucial role in supporting the Earthwinds ballooning expeditions. Hilton’s involvement extended beyond financial backing, providing essential resources and logistical support. Richard Branson, the entrepreneur and founder of the Virgin Group, renowned for his successful hot air balloon crossings of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans with Per Lindstrand, contributed his flair for publicity and adventurous spirit to these round-the-world ballooning projects.

Readers will find that Armstrong not only documents the tales of Tom Gatch and Larry Newman but also delves into the stories of other crew members, engineers, scientists, media personnel, and volunteers involved in the projects. Through their narratives, he brings a human element to the story, exploring their motivations, challenges, and personal growth throughout their journeys. “Just Wind: Tales of Two Pilots Under Pressure” is a riveting account for anyone interested in adventure, innovation, and the indomitable human spirit.

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We bring you an update on the ambitious transatlantic balloon expedition featuring Bert Padelt, Sir David Hempleman-Adams, and Dr. Frederik Paulsen. In September and October, we introduced you to these adventurers gearing up for a hydrogen balloon odyssey on the Torabhaig Atlantic Explorer. Unfortunately, the whims of weather have compelled a change in plans.

After extensive consultations with the trio’s weather experts, Wim, Luc, and Don, it has been unanimously decided that there is no chance of a successful flight this year. The arrival of new  atmospheric lows has effectively grounded the team. The trio collectively decided to exercise patience and postpone their balloon flight to next summer.

Initially envisioning a few tracks across the Atlantic, as the possibilities have been in the past, the team found themselves contending with an unexpected cast of characters – tropical storms named Katia, Franklin, Idalia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Rina, and Philippe. These weather phenomena have proven to be less-than-ideal travel companions.

Eight weeks of eager anticipation, meticulous preparations, and repeated weather checks have yielded no favorable conditions. The team acknowledges the irony of Christmas lights going up in London while they await a suitable break in the weather. With the onset of winter, the prospect of flying through darkness and potential snowfall in Maine has become an additional challenge.

In light of these weather-induced hurdles, Bert, Frederik, and David express their appreciation to Torabhaig for their ongoing support and extend their thanks to the numerous supporters and friends for their patience and commitment.

As the team recalibrates for a summer launch, we look forward to the next chapter in this remarkable adventure. Stay tuned for further updates as Bert, Frederik, and David continue their quest to conquer the Atlantic in a hydrogen balloon.

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In the enchanting realm of ballooning, where dreams soar as high as the skies themselves, Bert Padelt’s name resonates with innovation and adventure.

Padelt’s ballooning odyssey commenced in the late 1980s when he crafted his first gas balloon. An accomplished balloon pilot himself, Padelt has introduced a dazzling array of balloons, each destined for epic journeys. From traversing the continental United States to conquering the vast Pacific Ocean and embracing the enigmatic allure of the Atlantic, his balloons have raced with the winds.

Besides being an extraordinary balloon pilot and balloon manufacturer, what sets Padelt apart are the pivotal roles he has played as Systems Director and Launch Director in several record-setting ballooning attempts.  If you’ve heard of the legendary Steve Fossett and his adventurous ballooning attempts, then Bert Padelt was right there in the thick of it all. Except for Fossett’s first ballooning venture, Padelt played crucial roles as the Systems Director in six or seven of Fossett’s audacious exploits, including his triumphant round-the-world flight in 2002, aboard a balloon meticulously crafted by Cameron. Padelt, however, was involved in every step, from design to equipment testing in England, ensuring that every detail was perfect for the ambitious journey.

And now, visualize the balloon piloted by Richard Abruzzo, soaring through the skies and setting the world distance record in the First Solo Transcontinental US Balloon Flight, from San Diego, California, to the Georgia Coast in 2003. That balloon was Padelt’s creation. Abruzzo flew a distance of 2,074 kilometers in 73 hours 20 minutes.

In the world of high-altitude aspirations, Padelt assumed the mantle of launch director for Sir David Hempleman-Adams. He orchestrated the latter’s two awe-inspiring trans-Atlantic flights. The first in a Roziere balloon flight in an open basket, in 2003, as well as the audacious gas balloon flight in an open basket in 2007.

The 2003 Roziere balloon was built by Cameron, and with Padelt as the launch director, Hempleman-Adams piloted this balloon over a distance of 4427.4 kilometers in 83 hours 17 minutes, setting from New Brunswick, Canada, and touching down in a field in Hambleton, Lancashire, England.

For Hempleman-Adams second crossing of the Atlantic in 2007, Padelt crafted the smallest manned gas balloon system (a mere 37,000 cubic feet!) to ever cross the Atlantic Ocean. Once again, with Padelt as launch director,Hempleman-Adams flew the helium gas balloon from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Nolay, France, covering 4,227 kilometers in 89 hours and 20 minutes. According to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), this flight etched six records in distance and duration into the history books.  

In 2015, Padelt’s genius shone again as he built the Two Eagles Transpacific balloon envelope and served as the launch director for the incredible 10,712-kilometer balloon flight across the vast Pacific Ocean. Piloted by Troy Bradley of the United States and Leonid Tiukhtyaev of Russia, they launched from Saga Prefecture, Japan, on January 25th and made a daring landing in the ocean just four miles off the Baja coast on January 31st. Padelt’s expertise was responsible for the logistics, assembly, launch, and recovery procedures.

One of Padelt’s most remarkable achievements is his gas balloon’s record for the longest flight in the prestigious Gordon Bennett Cup, a gas ballooning competition that began in France in 1906. As of now, his gas balloons hold distance and duration records in an impressive 12 out of the 15 categories.

But Padelt’s creativity doesn’t stop at records and achievements; he’s also the creative genius behind the tetrahedron smoke balloon, a memorable contribution to the 2002 Japanese documentary “Return to Nazca.”

Padelt’s ballooning odyssey has earned him a place in the US Ballooning Hall of Fame. He’s been honored with the FAI Montgolfier Diploma, the highest recognition a balloonist can receive worldwide, and the Balloon Federation of America’s prestigious Shields-Trauger Award in 2015, shared with his wife Joanie, in recognition of their distinguished contributions to gas and hot air ballooning.

Now, Bert Padelt is gearing up for his most audacious adventure yet – a trans-Atlantic balloon crossing aboard a hydrogen balloon in an open basket. In this exhilarating expedition, he will share the tiny basket and the open sky with none other than Sir David Hempleman-Adams and the distinguished Swiss explorer, scientist, and entrepreneur, Dr. Frederik Paulsen.

In an era of advanced communication and technology, where few dare to traverse oceans and circumnavigate the globe by balloon, the Atlantic remains a formidable adversary to even the most seasoned balloon pilots. It’s a realm where the winds and weather hold the reins, where each ascent is a dance with destiny, and every descent is a gamble with the unknown. Despite the odds, Padelt and his illustrious companions are poised to etch their names in the annals of aerial exploration.

In the accompanying or soon-to-be-published interviews with Sitara Maruf, Bert Padelt and Sir David Hempleman-Adams unveil the intricacies of their forthcoming flight and offer a glimpse into the enigmatic world of ballooning. Links included below to related articles.

Please look for updates and track this adventure at the links below.
Updates: https://torabhaig-atlantic-explorer.com/TORABHAIG-DIARY
Track Flight: https://torabhaig-atlantic-explorer.com/

By Sitara Maruf

Related articles / interviews:

Bert Padelt Talks About His Atlantic Explorer Balloon

Balloonists Aim to Cross the Atlantic in a Hydrogen Balloon
Coming up this week: An interview with Sir David Hempleman-Adams!

In an insightful interview with Sitara Maruf, illustrious British explorer, aviator, and trailblazer, Sir David Hempleman-Adams, emphasized the invaluable role played by dedicated teams throughout his endeavors and offered his unique perspective on the world of exploration. Beyond his adventures, he passionately discussed his philanthropic initiatives and the guidance he imparts to young enthusiasts, inspiring the next generation of explorers.

As we prepare to share this interview, it’s worth noting that Sir David is on the brink of embarking on yet another daring escapade: copiloting a hydrogen balloon across the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean from an open basket with renowned US balloon manufacturer and balloonist, Bert Padelt.   Accomplished Swiss explorer and scientist, Dr. Frederik Paulsen will also join them on the flight. Let’s not forget that the take off depends on a suitable weather system both at the launch site in Presque Isle, Maine, United States, and throughout the flight trajectory over the vast Atlantic Ocean.

In the interview below, Sir David provides a captivating glimpse into the upcoming journey with moments of lighthearted humor that illustrate his engaging personality.

Sitara Maruf: All your ballooning achievements and other explorations are truly awe-inspiring. Congratulations.

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Well, I’ve been lucky, very lucky! You always need a very good team around you. On all my balloon trips, I’ve been lucky with help from people, but, you know, I think sometimes people don’t realize how well they’re respected in other countries. So, Bert Padelt, who I’m flying with on the Atlantic flight is quite unique in the world, in that he knows the technical side of a balloon and has several skills. He, from a very young age, had this love of aviation, and he got into building balloons.  He thinks it through, and then he builds the balloon. It’s like when you see a craftsman working on a work of art, and they’re engrossed in it, and they love producing something of quality and beauty.

And when you see his products, be it a basket or the balloon; it is done with love and perfection.  He’s an aeronautical engineer and he is a unique craftsman; he never copies anyone else. He has his own ideas and then he builds it. But on top of that, he flies it. And that’s very unique. So, in the UK and Europe, if you ask people in Switzerland or Belgium or Germany, who’s the best, they all come back with Bert Padelt.

Sitara Maruf:  Yes. He’s very respected as a balloon manufacturer and as a balloonist.

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: So, for my trip, I feel very humbled and very honored that I can fly with Bert Padelt. He’s a great and fantastic pilot, so I feel very safe, and it is going to be great fun flying with him.

Sitara Maruf: I understand you had some great ballooning journeys on Bert Padelt’s balloons.

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Yeah, all my ballooning records are purely down to him. This is where he’s very good. Before you take off, he will go for a coffee with you and he will sit you down and he will say, this is what’s going to happen to the balloon the first five minutes, and this is what’s going to happen around you. This is the weather that you’ve got and you’re going to be going at this speed, at this height, so, you’ve got to be careful. And when I went very, very high on altitude, he said, you’re going to go up and then you’re going to slow down, and then this is going to happen. And I’m talking about, you know, 40,000 feet up. And every time, he talks with knowledge and experience, so you listen, and every time he’s smack on the money. He thinks it through, and he flies the flight for you. And that’s what gives you the confidence to go out and do it.

Sitara Maruf: So, what was the motivation behind your decision to attempt another trans-Atlantic crossing? Why is this expedition so significant to you?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Well, I think two or three reasons. One, I’m slowing down now and a friend of mine, Frederik Paulsen, who’s from Switzerland, has always talked to me about the Atlantic, and Bert was talking about the Atlantic, and he wanted to do the Atlantic. So, I just I thought it’d be one last and great big ballooning journey for me. And it’d be nice to do with a great friend like Bert, because when you do these things in the competition, there’s the stress of the competition. And you’ve got to take off with whatever the weather gives you. You’re always looking at the other balloons. And on solo trips, like some that I have done, you don’t get much sleep, so you don’t enjoy it, until you finish; whereas, when you’ve got a really good, competent pilot like Bert, you can alternate the flying and that way you can get some good quality sleep, and enjoy the journey and the experience a lot, lot, lot more. Bert and I were always good friends, so, I’m hoping to start off as good friends and return as brothers after the finished flight!

Sitara Maruf: That’s great. When you flew solo to the North Pole, was it a helium balloon?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Yes, it was. Also, I’ve flown two helium balloons across the Atlantic, but this will be the first hydrogen balloon.

[Details of the balloons and the flights to the North Pole and across the Atlantic, appear in the accompanying article.]

Sitara Maruf: Now, as we know that hydrogen balloons have some specific safety concerns due to the flammable nature of hydrogen gas. So, flying a hydrogen balloon would be a different experience?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Yeah, Yeah, so, I’ve had to stop Bert from smoking cigars…

Sitara Maruf: [Bursting into laughter] Okay, but not whiskey? Whiskey is okay?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Yeah. Yeah, whiskey’s okay. So, we’ll take the whiskey, but we’ve got to keep the cigars behind.

[The Atlantic ballooning endeavor is sponsored by Torabhaig Single Malt Whisky, which is owned by their Swiss flight companion Dr. Frederik Paulsen.]

Sitara Maruf: Let us move on to other supplies and provisions like food, water, and other essentials during the journey.

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: With this balloon, it’s very simple. Your ballast is sand. There’s no propane, there’s no heater, because it’s hydrogen. Sand, food, water, and everything is ballast. So, if for any reason, we get short on sand, we just throw over a can of baked beans―making sure there’s no one down below.

Sitara Maruf: Obviously, there won’t be any cooking? All food will be packaged?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: No, no, no. It’s like camping in the sky, I’m the cook. So yeah. I will be cooking and heating up baked beans for Bert, while he’s flying the balloon. Hot food and hot drinks are very important. But, of course, you’re asking the right question ’cause you’re a scientist. You don’t want any naked flame or anything like that, for obvious reasons. So, we will close the balloon, to make sure there’s no contamination whatsoever. And it’s like a tent, so you can roll down the tent. We will be extra careful when we’ve got the little cooking stove in the bottom of the basket. So, I’ll be responsible for that.

Sitara Maruf: And you’ll be taking turns sleeping.

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Yeah, yeah. Just on the floor.

Sitara Maruf: In 2000, when you embarked on this solo balloon journey to the North Pole, it seems impossible for any time. And the only example that you had in front of you was the long suffering and tragic end of Solomon Andree’s balloon expedition in 1897. And, like them, you also used an open gondola to reach the North Pole. So, what were the unique challenges and emotions that you felt on that historic journey?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Well, since 1897, no one had tried it. And nowadays we have better weather forecasting, but all the meteorologists around the world said it wasn’t possible, because the weather systems across the Atlantic are very different to the ones up on the Arctic Ocean. So, I just thought, well, why not try? You know, you might fail, but try, and that’s exactly what happened. So, I was very, very lucky. I had the right weatherman.

You know, the pilot is just a monkey. He just does up and down. If you feed the monkey a banana, he’s as happy as Larry, whereas the meteorologist is the clever man. He’s the guy who says, you have to take off on this day at this time, and you have to go in this direction for 10 hours, and then I want you to do this for 12 hours, and then I want you to do that for six hours. So, he’s the man who’s actually looking at what’s going on in the sky, like a big chess game. And so, he’s the genius. And we had a fantastic genius in Luc Trullemans, and that’s how I got to the North Pole and back.

But conversely, also, when you look at this Atlantic trip, we got two great people. We’ve got Bert Padelt, who’s built the balloon, and he’s fantastic, but we’ve also got a very good weatherman as well. So, he’s looking with Bert to go across. And, you know, I’m very lucky. I’ll get the call, I will fly from England into Boston, drive up to Presque Isle, Maine (the launch site). The balloon will be up and ready. I’ll get in the basket, even in my pajamas, and off I go.

Sitara Maruf: But these long duration balloon flights, like going to the North Pole, or crossing the oceans, are a test of your endurance and patience. It involves many death-defying moments. How do you mentally and physically prepare for endurance and isolation?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Well, I think, with all these things, you minimize the risk. I think you’re probably more at risk going into Washington DC in a car than you are flying across the Atlantic. And, if there’s two of you, that makes a huge difference to the duration. The worst thing is not sleeping. And if you can’t sleep, then you start to make very bad decisions. So, we have a very good control room with people who know about flying, air traffic control, and the weather. This is a fantastic team that we’ve got, including the people who supply the hydrogen and the tube trailer. There are probably a hundred people who have helped this project come together for us to go. So, it’s not just two pilots, it’s a big team.

Sitara Maruf: Which accomplishment in ballooning has had the most profound impact on your life as an adventurer or as a person?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: This Atlantic flight that’s coming up, because I haven’t flown for a long time, you know. With COVID, I thought, are we ever going to be able to fly again? And so, it has given me a new lease of life. It’s exciting. I’m really looking forward to doing this. It’s nice.

Sitara Maruf: So, it’s like traveling with friends?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Yes, a hundred percent yes.

Sitara Maruf: Okay. Your career has included various honors and awards. Which recognition or awards hold the most personal significance for you?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Ah, well, my goodness. That’s a good question. Well, I started off when I was 13 years old. The Duke of Edinburgh, who was the queen’s husband, started a charity called the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. I took part in that, and when I was 13 years old, my school friends and I had to walk 25 miles and spend a night camping in a tent. And that’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done, because it’s the first time I had to go in a tent, and it was the first time I had to share a tent with other guys.

I couldn’t take my teddy bear or anything. So, after the expedition, I got the Bronze Award, I’ve got it somewhere here, it’s a little bronze medal. And for me, that’s the first thing I’ve ever achieved and the most important thing than anything else I’ve ever achieved. And so, when young people want to do these things, I say, just try. Lot of people stop because they don’t want to try; they don’t want to fail. But I say, as long as you try, it doesn’t matter if you fail, and you will learn from the experience, and you’ll grow from the experience. And then just try again. Sometimes I’ve tried two or three times and failed. Then you just go back and hopefully it works out, but never give up. And so, that first bronze award for me is better than anything else I’ve achieved.

Sitara Maruf: I believe you are also involved in some humanitarian and charitable efforts for young people. Would you like to share some details about those?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: Well, I just feel I’ve been very lucky with people who had the patience to put up with me and teach me when I was a young boy. So, I started up a charity for young people to give them an adventure experience. And also, I was a trustee on the very same Duke of Edinburgh’s Award that I just talked about. I was on that trust for many, many years. And now I’m a trustee on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Outward Bound Award, which again the Duke of Edinburgh started in England. You have Outward Bound in America and Canada as well, and it’s a great youth scheme, which pushes young individuals out of their comfort zone. I’ve received a lot of help in my life, you know, and I’ve got to the age when I just feel it’s important to give something back.

Sitara Maruf: Your achievements and your activities are truly inspiring to balloonists and to everyone in general. Is there anything else you would like to share that I may have overlooked?

Sir David Hempleman-Adams: I’m very much looking forward to this [the Atlantic balloon flight]. The other reason we came to Presque Isle, Maine, is because the United States still has a fantastic aviation culture. We could have gone to Canada, we could have gone anywhere, but we came to America, and the number of people who have helped us, who’ve opened the doors to help us has been extraordinary. It’s really heartwarming to see so many people―over a hundred people have helped us in different ways. It is really fantastic. And for some, I think, they will look at the flight and they will fly vicariously through us. But we feel, I feel anyway, that they’re with us in the balloon. And that’s why it’s fantastic, and that’s why we’re starting from America.

As our conversation neared its end, I extended my heartfelt wishes for a safe and successful flight to him and his companions. I also wished him the best in all aspects of life. Continuing in his gracious manner, Sir David Hempleman-Adams expressed his readiness to reconvene after the flight and let us know how it all went.

Please look for updates and track the awaited Atlantic balloon crossing at the links below.

Updates: https://torabhaig-atlantic-explorer.com/TORABHAIG-DIARY
Track Flight: https://torabhaig-atlantic-explorer.com/

Interview date – 13 September 2023

By Sitara Maruf

Now, Sir David Hempleman-Adams is poised for his most audacious adventure yet—a trans-Atlantic balloon crossing aboard the Torabhaig Atlantic Explorer Gas Balloon, which is a hydrogen balloon with an open basket for a gondola. This exhilarating expedition will see him co-piloting the balloon with America’s distinguished balloon manufacturer and pilot, Bert Padelt. Accompanying them on this remarkable journey is the acclaimed Swiss explorer, scientist, and entrepreneur, Dr. Frederik Paulsen. The take off and success of their journey hinges on the temperament of the weather, both at the launch site in Presque Isle, Maine, United States, and throughout their voyage across the vast Atlantic Ocean.

In an era dominated by advanced communication and technology, the Atlantic Ocean remains a formidable adversary to even the most seasoned balloon pilots. Here, the winds and weather hold sway, and the elements are unpredictable. Yet, despite the odds, Sir David Hempleman-Adams and his illustrious companions are poised to etch their names in the annals of aerial exploration.

At LTA-Flight Magazine, we believe it’s only fitting to embark on a journey that delves into Sir David’s epic exploits, which are synonymous with courage, resilience, and the unyielding pursuit of new horizons.

David Hempleman-Adams is the only individual to have graced both the magnetic and geographic North and South Poles and has climbed the seven highest mountain peaks across seven continents. In 1998, he was the first individual to complete this challenge and earn the esteemed title of achieving the ‘Explorer’s Grand Slam.’

The story of Sir David’s remarkable life starts in his early years. As a young student, he participated in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, a humble beginning that planted the seeds of his future adventures.  His foray into the world of high-altitude exploration began with the conquest of Mount McKinley in Alaska in 1980, followed swiftly by scaling Mount Kilimanjaro in 1981, and summiting Mount Everest in 1993.

What sets Sir David apart is not just his mountaineering prowess but also his audacity and ingenuity. In 1984, he embarked on a solo expedition to the Magnetic North Pole, a journey that defied convention as he ventured without dogs, snowmobiles, or air supplies. This pioneering spirit continued in 1992 when he led the first team to walk unsupported to the Geomagnetic North Pole—an endeavor chronicled in the thrilling book “A Race Against Time.”

The year 1996 was even more astounding, as he accomplished a trifecta of polar feats. In a solo unsupported expedition, he reached the South Pole on January 5, sailed to the South Magnetic Pole on February 19, and even led a team of novices to ski to the Magnetic North Pole on May 15. The book “Toughing it Out” encapsulates Sir David’s first two decades of adventure—a story of determination and grit.

In 1998, he joined Norwegian Rune Gjeldnes in a quest to reach the Geographical North Pole, the final leg of his Grand Slam attempt, which he described in the book “Walking on Thin Ice.”

While he is celebrated for his mountaineering prowess, his journey into the world of aviation is equally awe-inspiring. In 1998, with just 30 hours of flying, he achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first person to navigate a hot air balloon across the formidable Andes Mountains, reaching 32,000 feet.

One of his most iconic achievements came in 2000 when he became the first and, to date, the only person to fly a balloon over the North Pole ― a monumental achievement that had eluded adventurers for over a century. Inspired by the ill-fated 1897 expedition of Salomon Auguste Andrée, he embarked on a daring mission to reach the North Pole in a Rozière balloon,  built by Cameron.

 He took off in the wicker basket of his balloon from Spitsbergen, navigated through Russian airspace, and steadily closed the gap towards the elusive North Pole. With precision that would impress even the most seasoned balloonists, Hempleman-Adams soared to within a mere eight miles of the North Pole before making the return journey to Spitsbergen. To put this incredible achievement into perspective, the polar circle itself measures 60 miles around the Pole. For those familiar with ballooning, the sheer difficulty of achieving such precise navigation at these extreme latitudes cannot be overstated. This epic odyssey, lasting an astonishing 132 hours and 22 minutes, serves as a testament to his unwavering determination and indomitable spirit. His gripping account of this voyage is documented in the book “At the Mercy of the Winds.”

Unlike many contemporary aviators, Hempleman-Adams prefers the simplicity of an open wicker basket for his gas ballooning adventures. He finds solace in the low-tech allure of gas balloons and cherishes the sense of camaraderie within the aviation community, which he describes as “very close, very supportive.”

In a historic journey on September 22, 2003, he became the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean in the open wicker basket Rozière balloon. With Bert Padelt as the launch director, Hempleman-Adams piloted this balloon over a distance of 4427.4 kilometers in 83 hours 17 minutes, setting from New Brunswick, Canada, and touching down in a field near Blackpool, in the United Kingdom.

For his second crossing of the Atlantic in 2007, Sir David piloted the smallest helium gas balloon system (a mere 37,000 cubic feet!) to ever cross the Atlantic Ocean. Padelt had built this balloon and also served as launch director for the flight. Sir David flew the helium gas balloon from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Nolay, France, covering 4,227 kilometers in 89 hours and 20 minutes. According to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), this flight etched six records in distance and duration into the history books.  

Notably, in 2004, he took off from Greeley in the US in an AM-8, Rozière balloon and reached an altitude of 41,197.5 feet. What’s even more impressive is that he flew in an open wicker basket seated on a fishing stool. His flight broke the altitude record of 38,732 feet held by Breitling Orbiter’s 1999 round the world flight, which had a pressurized capsule.

Sir David Hempleman-Adams’ boasts a career punctuated by numerous ‘firsts,’ surpassing the achievements of many seasoned pilots. His list of accomplishments includes an impressive 47 records recognized by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).

His records span various aircraft categories, including AA, AM, AX, BX, and fixed-wing aircraft, with achievements in altitude, distance, and duration.

Sir David’s contributions extend beyond aviation. In 2016, he successfully completed the Polar Ocean Challenge, a groundbreaking expedition circumnavigating the North Pole and sailing through the Northeast and Northwest Passages. The mission aimed at raising awareness about climate change and the vanishing Arctic ice.

In 2019, he sailed solo across the Atlantic, further demonstrating his commitment to exploring and raising awareness of our planet’s challenges.

In addition to his ballooning achievements, Hempleman-Adams also accomplished speed world record flights in Cessna airplanes and embarked on an airplane journey covering the entire length of North and South America.

Sir David Hempleman-Adams’ extraordinary contributions have earned him several honors and awards, including the Polar Medal and bar awarded by Queen Elizabeth II for his polar research efforts. He was honored with the MBE in 1995 (Member of the Order of the British Empire) and the OBE in 1998 (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for services to Arctic Exploration.

 In 2017, he was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) for his dedication to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. In 2022, he received the Royal Geographical Society Founder’s Medal for his role in enabling science through expeditions and inspiring younger generations of geographers.

David Hempleman-Adams’ legacy in aviation and exploration will continue to inspire generations of adventurers to reach for the skies and explore the farthest corners of our extraordinary planet.

Below is a list of Sir David Hempleman-Adams’ major aviation achievements.

Source:  Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)

1. December 2000: A Rozière balloon flight from Alberta, Canada to Montana, USA, covering 536.43 km in 6 hours and 29 minutes.
2. September 2003: An open wicker basket Atlantic crossing, covering 4,427.4 km in 83 hours and 17 minutes.
3. December 2003: A world speed record of 25.71 km/hour in a Cameron DP-70 hot-air airship.
4. March 2004: An altitude record of 12,557 meters in AM-8, achieved in Greeley, USA.
5. October and December 2004: An absolute BX record of 6,614 meters in Drumheller, Canada, with separate flights covering 95.89 km and lasting 4 hours.
6. January 2007: An AX-5 altitude record of 9,900 meters, starting from Red Deer, Canada.
7. July 2007: A solo Atlantic crossing in an open basket from St. Johns, Newfoundland to Nolay, France, setting AA-6 records covering 4,227 km in 89 hours and 20 minutes.
8. October 2008: Victory, alongside Jonathan Mason, in the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett.
9. September 2009: A duration record of 14 hours and 15 minutes in AA-1.
10. October 2011: Winning the Americas Challenge Balloon race with Jonathon Mason, making them the only pilots to have secured both this race and the Gordon Bennett cup.

Please look for updates and track the awaited Atlantic balloon crossing at the links below.
Updates: https://torabhaig-atlantic-explorer.com/TORABHAIG-DIARY
Track Flight: https://torabhaig-atlantic-explorer.com/

By Sitara Maruf

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Bert Padelt shares the details with Sitara Maruf.

Sitara Maruf: Thank you very much for granting this interview, and congratulations on the preparation for such a great flight. So, what is the status for the upcoming launch?

Bert Padelt:  Thanks a lot. Well, things are in place and ready to go, and I feel comfortable where we are at this point. We have all the equipment in order. On the day of the launch, all pretty much we will have to do is charge the batteries and that kind of thing. We’re still waiting for the weather. The Atlantic Ocean has been very active with tropical storms and hurricanes and so things are very unsettled, but the meteorologists are assuring us that things will start to settle out as we move into October. And, so, we’re being very optimistic that we’re going get a weather system that’s going to work, and we just have to be patient. Towards the end of next week there is a nice high pressure that’s building up in Maine, that they’re keeping a close eye on. So, we’ll see what happens.

Sitara Maruf: Will it get colder?
Bert Padelt: It will, and the nights are going to get longer. That’s the only disadvantage. But, you know, I’ve done a lot of gas flying in the fall and winter timeframes where the nights are longer. It doesn’t really concern me that much. And yes, I am very conservative when I fly, and I’m looking at this flight the same way. If we don’t have the right weather system, it makes no sense to take off. We certainly won’t fly until we get that weather system.

Sitara Maruf: Could you please share some specifics of the balloon?

Bert Padelt: Yes. It’s a hydrogen gas balloon. The material is a four and a quarter ounce per square yard nylon taffeta fabric and we needed 1,200 yards. The volume is 90,000 cubic feet. We most likely will not be putting that much hydrogen in the balloon when we inflate it. It depends on the first day’s flight level. Let’s say the flight level is 8,000 feet on the first day, so we may be putting only 85,000 cubic feet of gas. Our sand ballast is 4,800 pounds and drinking water is 26 gallons, some of which could also serve as ballast. The basket is 72 inches by 60 inches wide.

Sitara Maruf: And the hydrogen inflation will begin after you come to know about the suitable weather window for the launch?

Bert Padelt: Yes. The hydrogen is in place and the equipment is stored in a building just around the corner from the launch field. Everything will be easily transported to the launch field on the day of the inflation. The conditions that we need to launch and fly across the Atlantic, we’ll probably know within three days of the launch. So, we’ll have roughly about three or maybe two days to get everything ready to go.

Sitara Maruf: Wonderful. I hope you’re getting some rest now.

Bert Padelt:  I am. You know, it’s been a lot of work up until this point and there’s been a lot of key things that had to come together to make this work. And at this point, the last key to the puzzle is the weather. Unfortunately, we don’t have any control over that, but that’s pretty much where we stand at this point.

Sitara Maruf: And the weather will have to be fine all the five days across the Atlantic, correct?

Bert Padelt:  Oh yeah, ideally you know, from a weather standpoint, what we’re looking for is a ridge of high pressure that develops and crosses Presque Isle, Maine. And we would launch into that ridge of high pressure and go to a designated flight level, probably between six and eight-thousand feet, and as the days progressed, fly at an altitude to stay in that ridge of high pressure all the way across the Atlantic.

Sitara Maruf: It seems even more challenging to fly a hydrogen balloon in an open basket, across the Atlantic. You’ve been a very successful balloon builder and you have contributed so many great balloons to some epic journeys. So, is it some advancements in materials and technology that have contributed to your decision towards taking this hydrogen balloon flight?

Bert Padelt: Well, to go with helium would be next to impossible for several reasons. One, being able to secure the helium gas, and the other would be the cost. I’ve been building hydrogen balloons for the last 15 years, and we have been flying with hydrogen for some years now. In Europe, they’ve been flying hydrogen for over 200 years and that has always been the choice in Europe. In this country, it is the same now. So, it was a logical decision to go with hydrogen. Plus, we benefit from extra lift with hydrogen.

As for the balloon, it’s obviously designed and built to use hydrogen. The fabric and the load tapes are conductive. Everything on the balloon is conductive and connected so that if there was a static buildup there would be a way for that to be discharged through the construction of the balloon. The obvious biggest concern using hydrogen or flying with hydrogen is avoiding thunderstorms and bad weather. That’s always been the issue with hydrogen, but we will launch by taking a weather window where we will be able to hopefully minimize those risks. In other words, we wouldn’t be launching if there were the possibilities of a storm that we would get into.

That’s not to say that wouldn’t happen, but with today’s weather forecasting and the meteorologists that we’re using are experts at forecasting ballooning weather. Luc Trullemans forecasted the weather for both successful around the world flights. Luc and his protégé Wim De Troyer have done a tremendous amount of weather forecasting for ballooning in general, so, we feel like we have two of the best weather forecasters in the business. And, also, a good friend of mine, Don Day, is a meteorologist that I’ve used for years. Don will be on the sidelines as well, looking at the weather for me. So, I feel very confident that if we get a window of opportunity to launch, we’ll be launching in a good weather system.

Sitara Maruf: Flying in an open basket presents more challenges compared to flying in a capsule.

Bert Padelt: Well, all of the gas ballooning I’ve ever done over long distances has always been in an open basket. This basket that we’ll be flying with has a rain cover that comes down off the load ring. We’ll have it down at night even if it’s not raining because it will be able to retain some of the heat in the basket. That should make it about 15 degrees warmer in the basket than outside air temperatures. I’m thinking possibly our coldest temperatures could be somewhere near five to zero degrees Fahrenheit at night at the higher altitudes that we’ll be flying.

Sitara Maruf: What do you see as your biggest challenge? Possibilities of a rogue thunderstorm, updrafts?

Bert Padelt: Yeah. Probably the first 24 hours will tell us a lot because I will have a very good idea of how the balloon is flying after the first 24 hours, after we go through our first sunset.

And if the balloon is flying well and the flight continues, then the challenge becomes the weather itself. And if we were to get into a storm we would certainly have to ditch. And if we were to ditch in the ocean, we do not have a capsule that floats; however, throughout the whole flight, we’ll have our immersion suits on, so in the event that we have to ditch we would egress out of the basket into a life raft, with our immersion suits.

Sitara Maruf: Okay. So, there are enough safety protocols in place.

Bert Padelt: There are. We’re flying with immersion suits, also a life raft that we would be able to egress into. We’re also flying with trackers that give our position and are updated every five minutes. We’ll be in constant communication with our command center, which will be in Bristol, England. We have two satellite phones, and an Iridium GO which allows us to have a satellite hotspot in the basket, which would allow texting through WhatsApp on our cell phones. And, in addition to all of that, each of us would always have a personal locator beacon on us.

Sitara Maruf: One of the challenges in long-distance gas ballooning is to save enough gas and enough ballast till you land. What would be the strategy here?

Bert Padelt: Yeah. That is correct, and so in some ways flying over the ocean is a positive thing compared to flying over land because there are no mountains and there’s no ground effect that we have to worry about. When you fly over land, you always will use more ballast than if you’re flying over water because the balloon is not as stable over land as it is while flying over water. The way our flight profile is designed, and the meteorologists are aware that we’re ideally looking for a weather system that will allow the balloon to fly basically at its new pressure ceiling every day. In other words, we want to be able to climb in altitude every day with the solar heating.

And if we can find a weather system that we naturally climb every day, then the balloon will benefit from a ballast standpoint, and it’ll fly the most efficient that a gas balloon could possibly fly. Let’s say we start out at a pressure ceiling of about 8,000 feet, then we would ballast 10% of our gross lift at sunset. The next day when the sun comes out, the balloon would heat and naturally climb about 2,000 feet. The next night we would keep it at that altitude by ballasting off 10% of our gross lift, and then the next day the balloon would climb again 2,000 feet, so that by the end of the flight when we come into Europe we could be as high as 17,000 feet and on oxygen, obviously, at those altitudes.

Sitara Maruf: So, you will be taking supplemental oxygen too?

Bert Padelt: Yes, of course. And the way the flight is calculated with the ideal weather system, the last 72 hours of the flight, most likely will be on oxygen.

Sitara Maruf: How would the balloon work in terms of saving and releasing the hydrogen?

Bert Padelt: So, this is a zero-pressure gas balloon. The appendix will be open when we’re climbing to a new pressure ceiling, and it will be venting gas. So, every time it climbs to a new pressure ceiling, the balloon will be venting a little bit of gas. And, if we’re flying below our pressure ceiling at nighttime or we’re not climbing higher than our pressure ceiling, the appendix would be closed at that time to avoid any kind of air mixing with the hydrogen. And there’s a mechanical valve in the top of the balloon that’s used to vent gas and descend in altitude.

Sitara Maruf: As you know, in 1978 the first successful Atlantic crossing by a balloon was achieved. The Double Eagle II balloon had 134,000 cubic feet of helium. Of course, Ed Yost and some others attempted with much smaller balloons and flew most of the distance. With so many advances, now, 90,000 cubic feet of hydrogen, would be the ideal size for a crew of three?

Bert Padelt: You know, it took a little bit of thought into designing what size is the ideal size, and I came up with 90,000 cubic feet because I wanted to keep everything in balance and as lightweight as possible. And so, by designing something bigger doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to get more duration because of the fact that everything is heavier. This balloon has a duration of about six days, and it’s designed to fly in that perfect weather system that I described. If the balloon was built larger, it would have to be quite a bit larger to be able to increase that duration, because when you start going bigger, it’s more weight, and it’s really not fair to compare this designed balloon at 90,000 to the Double Eagle balloon which was larger because that was 1978.

At that time, the materials were a lot heavier to begin with, so that balloon system was quite a bit heavier than this balloon system is. The fabric on that balloon was almost twice the weight. The gondola that they flew in was a fiberglass boat, which was extremely heavy. Our basket weighs only 155 pounds. The oxygen equipment that they were flying with back then, you know, they were flying with steel bottles compared to aluminum bottles that we are flying with. The avionics equipment back then was extremely heavy. The power system was more than twice as heavy as what we’re flying with. They were flying with lead acid batteries we’re flying with lithium batteries. So, there’s a lot, I mean, if you look at just the size difference—the bottom line is, you know, the gross lift versus the gross weight and how much ballast do you have when you subtract that.

Sitara Maruf: Have you flown a 90,000 cubic feet balloon before?

Bert Padelt: No, no, I have not.

Sitara Maruf: I suppose it’s almost impossible to try out a balloon that is made for the Atlantic, right?

Bert Padelt: Yeah. This balloon is 90,000 cubic feet, but I designed it around using the same weight ballast bags that I fly in a thousand-meter balloon.  Consequently, at sunset, we’re going to be using a lot more ballast. On the first sunset, we will be ballasting about 18 bags of ballast, which is a lot more compared to the thousand-meter balloon, where you’re only ballasting about eight bags of ballast. But, by the end of this flight, the balloon is going to be down around 40,000 cubic feet, because it will have lost that much gas every sunset and cooling and climbing to a higher-pressure ceiling. So, by the end of this flight, we would be flying a 40,000-cubic-foot balloon which will be very similar to one of my 37,000-cubic-foot balloons when it’s full. So, I feel very comfortable that I will understand how this balloon flies towards the end of the flight.

Sitara Maruf: Anything else you’d like to add about this forthcoming flight?

Bert Padelt: Yes, my two flight companions, David Hempleman-Adams and Dr. Frederik Paulsen. David has done quite a bit in ballooning over the years. You know, he was the first person to fly a balloon to the North Pole in honor of the Andrée’s Expedition that took place in 1897. David’s flight to the North Pole was an incredible flight. As a matter of fact, it was that flight that lured me to meet David. I was so impressed by that flight.  I basically looked up David and introduced myself to him and over the years, I’ve built a lot of balloons that he’s broken records with as well. David and I have developed a very strong friendship over the years. And David has always known of my desire and dream to do this flight. He also understood that I was living that dream through some of his flights that he did, across the Atlantic. David is doing this flight because he knows how important it is for me, and he’s also very good friends with Dr. Frederik Paulsen, who will be flying with us.

Sitara Maruf: Dr. Paulsen owns Torabhaig Malt Whisky, and Torabhaig is sponsoring this flight?

Bert Padelt: Yes, without our sponsor this flight would not have been possible. That’s how this whole thing came together.

Sitara Maruf: How long was the preparation process for getting this whole thing together and how many individuals worked on the project?

Bert Padelt: So, this project has basically been my life over the last year. My wife Joanie, my daughter-in-law Mel Padelt, team member Jim Duncan, and I have been building this balloon since February of this year. My wife Joanie, who is also a balloon pilot, worked side by side with me in the shop, and we have dedicated a hundred percent of our time to this project. But as far as the number of people that have helped this past year whenever we’ve needed extra help, probably about 20 people  have volunteered to bring this project  to where it is right now.

Sitara Maruf: So, are you in Presque Isle, Maine, right now?

No, I’m back at home. Because the equipment is ready to go, and I’ve been involved in so many of these projects like this, and I understand what’s involved. You know, for all of Steve Fossett’s projects, we were always on site waiting for the weather, and usually it’s about a four-week process waiting for the right weather window. I did not want to be in Maine waiting four weeks for the weather because it would drive me crazy.  Fortunately, I’m only 12 hours away from Presque Isle. So, I’m able to be in my shop and I’m doing other things while we’re waiting for the weather, and that just makes it so much nicer for me.

Sitara Maruf: Finally, why do you have so much passion for ballooning?

Bert Padelt: The passion I have for ballooning goes all the way back to when I was three years old.  My first memories that I have was when I was very young, my grandmother would blow up a toy balloon and hand it to me and put me in a chair to calm me down. And so the memory I have is holding that balloon  and dreaming  of traveling with it  wherever the wind would go. That passion and love for flight and for silent flight never left. And I’ve been fortunate to be able to make a living with that passion. And this flight that we’re doing has been a dream of mine since I was 13 years old.

Sitara Maruf: Thank you for sharing all the information and for all your contributions to ballooning. We wish you and your companions a safe, successful, and enjoyable flight.

Interview dates: 12^th and 22^nd September 2023

Please look for updates and track this adventure at the links below.
Updates: https://torabhaig-atlantic-explorer.com/TORABHAIG-DIARY
Track Flight: https://torabhaig-atlantic-explorer.com/

Related articles: Balloonists Aim to Cross the Atlantic in a Hydrogen Balloon

Aeronaut in the Spotlight: Soaring with Bert Padelt
Coming up this week: An interview with Sir David Hempleman-Adams!

If the weather permits, this September, October, or perhaps later, the Torabhaig Atlantic Explorer gas balloon, co-piloted by Sir David Hempleman-Adams and Bert Padelt, will take off in the first ever flight in an open basket hydrogen balloon across the Atlantic. Part of the mission also includes conducting a new scientific study.

Sir David Hempleman-Adams, a 66-year-old renowned British explorer and balloonist, and Bert Padelt who is 62 and a highly regarded balloon manufacturer and balloonist inducted in the US Ballooning Hall of Fame, will be joined by 72-year-old, Dr. Frederik Paulsen, a Swiss explorer, scientist, and entrepreneur on what seems to be an adventure of great friends on a journey.

Their route will take them from Presque Isle, Maine, across the Atlantic Ocean, passing over Newfoundland, Canada, and ultimately landing somewhere in Europe, possibly spanning the longest distance ever covered by a hydrogen balloon. This ambitious endeavor, spanning 4-5 days, aims to accomplish an unprecedented feat: the first-ever Atlantic crossing in a hydrogen balloon. If successful, Sir David Hempleman-Adams will secure his place in history as the only person to have crossed the Atlantic three times in an open basket balloon.

Beyond the thrill of adventure, the team’s mission also includes contribution to scientific research, supported by Basecamp Research. They will collect air samples from altitudes 8,000 feet and much higher that could lead to the discovery of new microbes and natural proteins. This research has the potential to advance fields such as medicine, biofuels, bioplastics, and agritech. The team is supported in this endeavor by The Explorers Club and are applying to carry the prestigious Explorers Club Flag – an honor given to expeditions that further the cause of exploration and field science.

As the crew prepares for this historic journey, the adventurers acknowledge the risks, with thunderstorms posing a significant threat. Unlike airplanes, balloons cannot evade storms, making careful weather monitoring crucial. Immersion suits for survival in cold waters and a lifeboat are part of their safety measures.

“It has been a boyhood dream of mine to fly across the Atlantic in a balloon. I’d planned to do this pre-pandemic and it’s starting to feel like it’s now or never. Thankfully, David agreed, as I can think of no one I feel safer to do this journey with than him. It’s a very small basket for such a long journey, so we all need to be tight, in every sense of the word.” – Bert Padelt

In a delightful twist, this epic adventure is being sponsored by Torabhaig Single Malt whisky, which is owned by Dr Frederik Paulsen. To commemorate this high-flying adventure, Torabhaig will release a limited-edition bottling inspired by the expedition. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these bottles will be donated to the Sabhal Mor Ostaig Gaelic Language School on the Isle of Skye.

“We’re three men of spirit, that much like a good whisky seem to be getting more adventurous with age. People think we’re kind of crazy to be doing this, but it really does make you feel alive to be pushing the boundaries and seeing just what is possible at any age. And, if anything, this is what keeps us feeling young at heart and fired up to enjoy every minute on this earth.”

“A balloon is the perfect platform to investigate a location where the biome has never been sampled, and the scientists we’ve partnered with are extremely excited about what we might find and what they will be able to learn from our adventures.” – Sir David Hempleman-Adams

Commenting on the Torabhaig Atlantic Explorer journey, Richard Weiss, President Emeritus of The Explorers Club, said, “I was surprised to hear of this extraordinary transatlantic balloon flight. A tiny number of explorers have crossed the Atlantic in a balloon and fewer in an open basket, but this crew are all experienced explorers and the unique sampling of the air and organisms that they’ll be able to undertake is set to provide a meaningful contribution to human progress. That really is quite extraordinary.”

We wish them a safe, successful, and enjoyable flight.

Please look for updates and track this adventure at the links below.
Updates:  https://torabhaig-atlantic-explorer.com/TORABHAIG-DIARY
Track Flight:  https://torabhaig-atlantic-explorer.com/

Related articles: Bert Padelt Talks About His Atlantic Explorer Balloon

Aeronaut in the Spotlight: Soaring with Bert Padelt

Coming up this week! An interview with Sir David Hempleman-Adams!

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