In 1981 four crew members aboard the
Double Eagle V crossed the Pacific from Nagashima, Japan, to Covelo, California, a trip taking just over 84 hours. In 1984 a lone pilot in the
Rosie O'Grady launched from Caribou, Maine, and crossed the Atlantic, landing in Savona, Italy. This pilot's second solo effort in 1997, aboard the
Solo Spirit,set an endurance record of six days, two hours, and 44 minutes, as well as a distance record of 10,361 miles (16,674 km), travelling from St. Louis, Missouri, to Sultanpur, India. During a third effort in 1998, aboard the
Solo Spirit II, the same pilot further increased the balloon distance record by travelling from Mendoza, Argentina, to a spot 500 miles (805 km) off the coast of Australia, where he was forced to land after his balloon ruptured in a thunderstorm. The total distance of this trip was 14,236 miles (22,911 km). These events, especially attempts at globalcircumnavigation during the last 20 years, set the stage for Jones and Piccard's record-setting flight in their balloon the
Breitling Orbiter 3. Two failed attempts by Piccard preceded the Breitling Orbiter 3 voyage. In 1997, just six hours into the flight, Piccard was forced to land when a loose clip caused fuel to leak into the gondola.
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