Posted on 11/26/2005 8:43:19 AM PST by NormsRevenge
BOMBAY, India - An Indian textile millionaire apparently broke the world record Saturday for the highest flight in a hot air balloon.
The record by Vijaypat Singhania is subject to verification, but his son Gautam Singhania said the 44-ton balloon climbed nearly 70,000 feet, beating the old mark of just under 65,000 feet.
"This goes to show to the world that we are not bullock cart drivers, but we can compete against the best of the world," the balloonist said.
One of the balloon's designers said the height will be determined by instruments sealed inside the capsule. Once verified by aeronautical groups, the findings will be submitted to Guinness World Records.
The 67-year-old balloonist landed safely after a nearly five-hour flight inside a pressurized cabin suspended from the 160-foot-high, multicolored balloon.
The flight was carried live on Indian national television.
"The exact height reached was 69,852 feet. This is subject to certification," said Colin Prescott, one of two British designers of the balloon.
The previous world record was 64,997 feet, set by Sweden's Per Lindstrand in Plano, Texas, in June 1988.
Hundreds of jubilant villagers crowded around the balloon to congratulate Singhania.
"When I broke the record, I was euphoric. I screamed quite loudly," he said.
Singhania lifted off from downtown Bombay and landed safely on barren land near Panchale, a village about 150 miles south of Bombay.
Singhania, the chairman emeritus of the Raymond Group, one of India's leading textile companies, also set a record for ultralight aviation 17 years ago when he flew 6,000 miles from Britain to India in 23 days.
Indian millionaire Vijaypat Singhania takes off in a hot air balloon in Bombay, India, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2005. Singhania broke the previous world record by hitting 21,000 meters (69,000 feet) a little more than two hours after taking off in his 40-ton (44-U.S. ton) balloon. Seen in the foreground is an Indian flag. (AP Photo/Rajesh Nirgude)
That is a large balloon.
almost 70K feet.. wow.
Indian millionaire Vijaypat Singhania stands in front of the pressurized cabin of a hot air balloon that he plans to fly, in Bombay, India, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005. Singhania said Tuesday he was confident of becoming the first person to fly a hot air balloon to the edge of space later this week. Singhania, 67, plans to fly the balloon at a height of 21,000 meters (70,000 feet) from Bombay on Saturday. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
They certainly have experience reaching great heights among DemocRATS on nothing but hot air.
""This goes to show to the world that we are not bullock cart drivers, but we can compete against the best of the world," the balloonist said.
"
Designed in the UK, likely as not most of it was built there as well. So, he is a well heeled (high tech) bullock cart driver?
I'll wait for him to jump at 70K and freefall for 5 min, then it'll be 'wow' time.
Altitude of the Highest Manned Balloon Flight The Physics Factbook™
Edited by Glenn Elert -- Written by his students An educational, Fair Use websiteBibliographic Entry Result
(w/surrounding text) Standardized ResultPiccard, Don. World Book Encyclopedia. USA: World Book, 1996. "1961, US Navy Officers Victor A. Prather, Jr and Malcolm Ross rose from a zero-pressure balloon at an altitude of 113,739.9 feet." 34,668 m
Crouch, Tom D. The Eagle Aloft: Two Centuries of the Balloon in America. Washington DC: Smithsonian, 1983. "May 4, 1961, M.D. Ross and V.C. Prather rose at the world record of 113,740 feet." 34,668 m
Perhaps it was just an Indian millionaire, bullock cart driver record?
Yeah...it's a good bet his old man was probably a bullock cart driver.
So, is there a separate category for aircraft records if they use JP4 as opposed to JP7? Or are they divided up by color of the pilot's flightsuit?
The record setting flight in 1961 was a spectacular achievement, but a gas balloon was used, not a hot air balloon. Prather died at the end of the record-setting flight when they landed at sea. His flight suit filled with water and he drowned.
I don't know. I'm not the one handing out the record certificates.
I was thinking they sorted records based on the type of underwear worn by the balloonists- boxers or briefs, but you seem to have a better hint at the answer.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
