Free Republic

Four years ago, Kent Couch made headlines by floating through the clouds in a lawn chair hoisted by party balloons from Oregon to Idaho. He's going to fly again, this time with a buddy sitting on a second lawn chair at his side. They are planning to take off July 14 from the parking lot of Couch's gas station and convenience store in Bend, Ore., the way he did in 2008 when he floated 235 miles to an Idaho farm field..."We can't hit above 18,000 feet (because of federal flight restrictions), but we can make a good run at, I...

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...

Indian millionaire Vijaypat Singhania today broke the world record for the highest flight in a hot air balloon, reaching the fringes of space, his son claimed. Singhania, 67, hit 21,000 metres a little more than two hours after taking off in his 40-tonne balloon, and has started his descent, his son Gautam said. "We have the world record at 69,000 feet" (21,000 metres), said Gautam Singhania. "We're bringing him down now." The previous world record was 19,811 metres, set by Sweden's Per Lindstrand in Plano, Texas, in June 1988. Singhania lifted off from downtown Bombay at 6.45am (1215 AEDT) enclosed...

British Balloonist Claims Altitude Record in Colorado Mar 23, 2004 By Ben Kieckhefer / Associated Press Writer DENVER (AP) - A British balloonist soared into the Colorado sky Tuesday in an open wicker basket, saying he reached 42,000 feet - nearly 8 miles - in what would be a world record for a gas and hot air balloon. David Hempleman-Adams took off from Greeley and landed about 3 1/2 hours later in a farmer's field near Akron, 100 miles east of Denver on the Colorado plains. The current altitude record for gas and hot air balloons is 38,507 feet, set...

Balloonist faces fire on final leg 07/03/2002 Associated Press BROKEN HILL, Australia - After an uneventful flight around the world, a loose burner hose fitting on Steve Fossett's Spirit of Freedom balloon started a fire Wednesday, forcing the American adventurer to climb out of his capsule in the middle of the Australian night to put it out. "Even though the RTW ('round the world) is completed, I really nervous until I can get this balloon on the ground," Fossett wrote in an e-mail to his mission control staff in St. Louis. AP Steve Fossett's balloon approaches the south Australian...

<p>CAPE TOWN — U.S. millionaire Steve Fossett was heading out over the Indian Ocean on Sunday on the last leg of his attempt to fly a balloon around the world solo.</p> <p>At 9 a.m. EDT, Fossett was making for Australia after crossing the eastern coast of South Africa, near the resort town of Margate, and descending to 11,000 feet to avoid thunderstorms, according to his Web site.</p>