Fed: US Balloonist heads for Pacific

AAP General News (Australia)
08-07-2001
Fed: US Balloonist heads for Pacific

BRISBANE, Aug 7 AAP - American balloonist Steve Fossett expects to cross the Australian
east coast and head over the Pacific Ocean late this morning.

A spokesman for the Chicago-based millionaire adventurer today said Fossett should
cross the east coast of Australia at Port Macquarie on the NSW north coast about 11.45am
(AEST) today.

"His next landsight will be the west coast of South America in five or six days," he said.

Fossett is making his sixth attempt to become the first solo balloonist to circle the earth.

He took off from Northam, Western Australia, on Sunday with his round-the-world voyage
expected to take 15 or 16 days.

Fossett's mission spokesman said: "He's feeling fine and very confident."

He said the planned trajectory over Sydney shifted north because of wind changes.

"His balloon Solo Spirit has slowed down a little but is maintaining altitude," the
spokesman said.

Solo Spirit has travelled more than 3000 kilometres since its launch in Western Australia.

Heading east across the continent Fossett successfully maneuvered his way out of an
unfavourable southward drift that would have taken Solo Spirit off course towards Tasmania.

Looking for an easterly flow of air, meteorologist Bob Rice and mission control director
Joe Ritchie told Fossett to go higher.

The adventurer dropped an empty propane tank to gain altitude, and entered an air flow
that turned the balloon northward about 20 degrees.

This brought Solo Spirit back on track, the mission spokesman said.

Fossett will face similar challenges in the coming days because of shifting wind patterns
over the Pacific Ocean.

AAP geb/sc/ph/

KEYWORD: FOSSETT TIME

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