A photo from open sources
Russian pilot, traveler, artist, writer, athlete and the priest Fedor Konyukhov said that he plans alone to fly in a balloon three continents and three oceans by flying thirty-five thousand kilometers around the globe.
Only such an achievement can boast now American balloonist Steve Fossett however he succeeded make such a trip around the world only on the sixth attempt. Sixty-four-year-old Russian intends to do the same most, but on the first try, setting a new world record. The construction of a balloon for such an ambitious and risky travel engaged in British engineers.
According to Konyukhov when Steve Fossett twelve years ago circled the earth in a balloon, the whole world decided that it a one-time achievement of mankind, and not a single daredevil to such no longer dare. However, now Fedor Filippovich decided to surpass the American feat and make a similar journey is not only without test flights, but also being ten years older than was fossett when he got into his balloon and brought to life conceived.
The challenges of ballooning
Around the world, according to our compatriot, will be very complicated. The hardest thing Konyukhov will have when crossing the Andean Cordillera, bordering the north and west of South America. Airborne the ball will have to rise to a height of eleven kilometers, where Passenger airliners usually fly. In this moment the maximum temperature in the gondola will not exceed five degrees Celsius.
A photo from open sources
The traveler can only sleep five hours a day, and even then short pauses for forty-five minutes. The rest of the time, Fedor Filippovich will be engaged in flight control: find the necessary wind flows, adjust balloon height, communicate with air traffic controllers of various states. On earth to help the Russian there will be a whole team of specialists from Australia, the United States, Great Britain and Belgium.
The expedition starts as soon as the weather conditions become most suitable. Obviously, Konyukhov and his assistants take not only conditions at the starting point in the Australian continent. Specialists carefully track to ensure that they are relatively favorable along the entire route around the planet.
Briton Don Cameron, under whose leadership was developed balloon for Fedor Filippovich, claims that such delays are necessary for the trip to end up as well conceived. Experts estimate that the most convenient to start there will be summer time until mid-August, so expect that the incredibly bold expedition of the Russian will begin soon – in within a month.
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