Global Challenger

Only a few hours after landing the Pacific Flyer in Northern Canada, Richard and Per started to discuss a complete circumnavigation of the world in a balloon.  However, both parties needed to attend to their perspective business and it was not until the spring of 1995 that Richard and Per sat down and planned the Global Challenger.  Whereas the previous 2 Trans-Oceanic flights were with hot air, this time it would have to be a helium balloon with lot longer endurance.  In order to insert the balloon into the jetstream lift off had to be from Northern Africa and the team settled on Marrakech in Morocco. 

The Global balloon was ready on site in January 1996 but the required Global weather pattern failed to establish itself that winter.  The team went back to Marrakech for the winter 1996/1997 and lifted off on the 4th January.    Unfortunately, due to the very rushed inflation the balloon was released with incorrect fuel couplings forcing Richard and Per to land the next morning in Algeria.  Since an envelope of its size would self destruct on landing no further attempt could be made until November 1997.  On the 9th November inflation took place in broad daylight in order to catch a very narrow weather slot and the thermals created by the desert heat caused the envelope to tear away from its moorings and that was the end for that season. 

Unfortunately in January 1998 the third pilot on board, Alex Ritchie was fatally injured during parachute training.  Alex had been a key member of every balloon attempt, a uniquely gifted engineer and this was a great loss.  Later in the year Steve Fossett, having lost his balloon in the waters of New Caledonia, was invited to join the team.  The Global balloon inflated for the last time in the early hours of 18th December 1998 and Richard, Per and Steve began an 8 day journey that took them across Northern Africa, Cyprus, Turkey then along side the Himalayan chain exiting China over the Yellow Sea crossing Japan right over the Miyakonojo, the site of the Pacific launch, and by now the flight seem invincible.  The Global balloon past the dateline at 140 knots but by now the trough was building just to the east of Hawaii forming a barrier for the jetstream and eventually causing the balloon to start travelling backwards towards Japan.  The decision was taken to land in the waters outside Hawaii which terminated the flight after 8 days.  With hindsight we now know that had they stayed airborne they would have successfully finished the Global Challenge in Northern Africa.