American Crosses The English Channel Under Toy Helium Balloons | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-04.01.24

Airborne-Unlimited-04.16.24

Airborne-FlightTraining-04.17.24 Airborne-Unlimited-04.11.24

Airborne-Unlimited-04.12.24

Join Us At 0900ET, Friday, 4/10, for the LIVE Morning Brief.
Watch It LIVE at
www.airborne-live.net

Wed, Jun 02, 2010

American Crosses The English Channel Under Toy Helium Balloons

Not Quite The Lawn Chair Stunt ... But Darn Close

A 36-year-old North Carolina man has made an unusual crossing of the English Channel. He suspended himself in a specially-equipped chair under a massive and colorful cluster of helium balloons and drifted across the channel. When it came time to descend in France, he simply cut away a few balloons and came back to earth.

Jonathan Trappe's flight lasted about 5 hours. And while the crossing may have seemed idyllic, it was far from a lark. Trappe said on his website that he meticulously planned the event, gaining clearance from both British and French aviation authorities before attempting the crossing. On his chair, he carried a transponder, aircraft radios, an ELT, supplemental oxygen, and other safety gear.

The Associated Press reports that Trappe told Sky News, which covered the event, that it was a "quiet, peaceful experience."

The tracking map on the website shows that Trappe reached a maximum altitude of 7011 feet during his crossing, landing a few miles west of Dunkerque, France. Local police said he reportedly gave the landowner where he came down a little something for damages to his property.

Trappe claimed the record for the longest free-floating balloon flight last month according to AP. He drifted for some 14 hours over North Carolina, reaching an altitude of just under FL180. Trappe holds a balloon rating from the FAA.

FMI: www.clusterballoon.com

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.15.24)

Aero Linx: International Flying Farmers IFF is a not-for-profit organization started in 1944 by farmers who were also private pilots. We have members all across the United States a>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: 'No Other Options' -- The Israeli Air Force's Danny Shapira

From 2017 (YouTube Version): Remembrances Of An Israeli Air Force Test Pilot Early in 2016, ANN contributor Maxine Scheer traveled to Israel, where she had the opportunity to sit d>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (04.15.24)

"We renegotiated what our debt restructuring is on a lot of our debts, mostly with the family. Those debts are going to be converted into equity..." Source: Excerpts from a short v>[...]

Airborne 04.16.24: RV Update, Affordable Flying Expo, Diamond Lil

Also: B-29 Superfortress Reunion, FAA Wants Controllers, Spirit Airlines Pulls Back, Gogo Galileo Van's Aircraft posted a short video recapping the goings-on around their reorganiz>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.16.24): Chart Supplement US

Chart Supplement US A flight information publication designed for use with appropriate IFR or VFR charts which contains data on all airports, seaplane bases, and heliports open to >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC