01. 03. 99
Great start !

Successful launch for Breitling Orbiter 3

The log book

17:20 GMT: After a successful – though slightly windy – launch from Château d’Oex, in the Swiss Alps, Monday morning at 8.05 GMT, Breitling Orbiter 3 climbed to an altitude of 7'000 meters (21'000 feet) in a little more than one hour. The team reported a stunning view of the Matterhorn as they cruised out of Switzerland into Italy. So far, Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones haven’t experienced any problems. They are following the exact flight plan of the team meteorologists. The balloon was approximately 14 kilometers West of Turin (Italy) at 13.00 GMT. It is expected to cross the Mediterranean sea overnight and reach Morocco tomorrow evening, flying at a speed of 35km/h. Il will then catch the border of a jet stream over Mauritania, which will take the gondola to Niger (and not Nigeria as said in the press release of this morning !), Saudi Arabia, India and South of China. The meteorologists Pierre Eckert and Luc Trullemans are predicting an eight day journey to Japan, then a further eight days to complete the circumnavigation. However, they do point out that the weather can change quite dramatically over 16 days. Earlier on in the afternoon, the mission control received an alarming fax from the Swiss Embassy in Beijing, saying that the permission to overfly China was only valid until the end of February. The Ambassy immediately contacted the Chinese authorities, who very kindly agreed to immediately extend the authorization, to the delight of the crew and of flight director Alan Noble. 13:15 GMT: After 5 hours of flight, the Breitling Orbiter 3 came around Torino at an altitude of 6800 meters. In the next few hours it is going to change its way in the direction of the Balears. 08:10 GMT: The Breitling Orbiter 3 has take off from Château d'Oex at 09:05 am (local time). 06:45 GMT: At 6:30am of Monday March 1st, 1999, the Breitling-Orbiter is inflated, the crew is ready, and it is expected that they will take off before 08:00am. 00:05 GMT: Planned take-off of Breitling Orbiter 3 from Château-d'Oex, Switzerland, Monday March 1st, 1999. Crossing the Alps towards Nice (France), then continuing the flight over the Balear Islands, Morocco, Mauretania, Mali, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, India, Burma, Southern China, the Pacific Ocean, California, the USA, the Atlantic Ocean, the Canary Islands. Intended landing in North Africa, East of 10°L.