Around the world on roziere balloon

Lausanne, Switzerland, 18 November 2016 – A Russian priest and balloon pilot who circumnavigated the world in a balloon in record time has been presented the inaugural FAI – Breitling Pilot of the Year Award at a ceremony in Switzerland yesterday, Thursday 17 November 2016. The round-the-world balloonist was given the award in recognition of […]

Fedor Konyukhov is to attempt another, balloon world-record… a hot-air adventure, high up in the Stratosphere and he has chosen Cameron Balloons as his balloon manufacturer once again. After three successful, non-stop, round-the-world balloons built by Cameron Balloons; the first in 1999 sponsored by Breitling, the second in 2002 flown solo by Steve Fossett and […]

By David PG Dehenauw. Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium University of Ghent. Introduction The goal of the Fedor Konyukhov RTW flight in July 2016 was to beat the record of 13 days flying around the world in a balloon, held by Steve Fossett since 2002. I was also involved in the Fossett record, and I […]

The Round the world flight is complete and Fedor is back safely to Northam, Western Australia. All equipment is now at the same hangar! It was an incredible event for all those involved directly and indirectly. Highlights and the world record: Fedor set new world record fastest time around the world: 11 days 5 hours 11 […]

Photo: SkyWorks WA Fedor and the rest of the team were thrilled to have so many members of the public follow the balloon through the final stages of the flight to its landing point. Several hundred people were onsite for the landing or shortly afterwards.  Many kids (and adults as well) were able to walk […]

24 hours ago at around 01:00 UTC 21st Fedor flew into very severe thunderstorm activity.  He was at around 8,500 metres with the tops well above him and unreachable at night on the burners.  Fedor had made the decision to cross the low pressure system on the best forecasting available so the intensity of the […]

Morton FCC ( Flight Control Centre) is currently working overtime to prepare for final phase of Fedor’s RTW Balloon flight. Latest update shows that Fedor is approximately at 1800 km from Australian coastal line. It is impossible to predict where exactly Fedor will land, but here in Northem WA, all possible scenarios being considered. Tomorrow […]

Fedor is on the final leg home but relaxing at this stage is not an option.  The morning started with significant valving of helium as it is heated by the sun.  This has been necessary for the last few days as fuel is consumed and the system becomes lighter.  Without losing some of the helium […]

Fedor is overflying Southern Ocean. He is in strong polar jet stream flow that pushes him down towards Antarctica. “As the sun went down, balloon left its ceiling and started to descent. It is getting dark pretty soon as I am close to polar region where polar night in full mode. It is scary to […]

Mid Atlantic and the night started with a relatively good immediate vicinity forecast.  Fedor appeared to be clear of some frontal activity and the team was focusing on a strong developing low that may be encountered as the balloon moved into the Indian Ocean the following day. The track was just south of each, speed […]

Konyukhov’s MORTON balloon crossed the territory of Chile in just an hour and five minutes, taking two hours to fly over the Andes mountains, with Mount Aconcagua to starboard. The flight over Argentina was completed at 21:50 UTC the same day. The total flight time over Argentina was 9 hours and 20 minutes. The flight […]

On July 18 at 11:30 (UTC) the MORTON balloon and its pilot, Fedor Konyukhov, completed the crossing of the Pacific Ocean from continent (Australia) to continent (South America). Fedor Konyukhov became the second pilot in history to cross the Pacific Ocean solo nonstop in a balloon. Before Fedor only Steve Fossett had crossed the Pacific […]

During the last 24 hours Fedor had to perform a few difficult manoeuvres.   Yesterday afternoon the pilot saw large cumulus clouds (cumulonimbus) on the horizon, at the height of 10-11 km, well above the Morton balloon flight level.   He decided to descend, that meant turning to the left and trying to go around the clouds.   The speed […]

In a few hours Fedor will have to negotiate a large occluded front stretching across the Pacific Ocean from the coast of Antarctica to 20 degrees south latitude. Our weather adviser suggests the following: «the best option of all altitudes is to maintain 7000m for the next 12-24 hours, maybe longer. That way we cross […]

15 July 12:00 UTC Fedor crossed 180 Longitude and now in Western hemisphere. He went back to the past – it is Thursdays 14 of July for Fedor again! Balloon speed increased to 170 km/h. Fedor reported that it become warmer, as a result of flying over the ocean (it was colder when flying over […]

Morton balloon has crossed the longitude of 163 degrees east and is currently flying in New Zealand airspace.  Last night, the pilot Fedor Konyukhov left the Green continent in the hopes of circumnavigating the globe and returning to welcoming Australian soil.  When Fedor was crossing the coast, air traffic controllers farewelled him on their radio […]

Airways New Zealand confirms the balloon carrying Russian adventurer Fedor Konyukhov on his world record attempt to circumnavigate the globe has entered New Zealand airspace. The balloon was picked up by air traffic control shortly after 12pm, Airways Chief Operating Officer Pauline Lamb says. It is expected to travel around the tip of the North […]

The 13th of July.  Fedor Konyukhov has completed the second set of day light hours flying of his circumnavigation flight.  Morton balloon so far has transcended 1650 kilometers, crossed the territory of the State of Western Australia, and is currently flying over the state of South Australia.  Fedor Konyukhov is in his second night flying. […]

The Russian Rozière hot-air balloon Morton completed a successful takeoff from Northam airport in Western Australia on 12 July, the point of liftoff being recorded as 7:30 am local time. This event is the culmination of two years of design and preparation, as well as shipping and assembling Morton. The balloon’s take-off was preceded by […]

Based on weather forecast and recommendation from weather adviser the team have decided to abandon the Saturday morning launch. The conditions remain difficult due to the active cold front. The balloon would travel with it over its entire length till Tasmania, with an important precipitation and icing risk, possibly making the balloon heavier and obliging […]

According to the data available on 28th of June (12 UTC), there is a weather window for the launch of the “MORTON” balloon on 2nd of July, Saturday. Good trajectories for crossing Australian continent. The proposed launch program is below: 1st of July, Friday: – Early in the morning the crew will start covering the […]

The 19th July 2002 is a special date for the international ballooning community: on that day in Northam, Western Australia American pilot Steve Fossett took off on his sixth attempt at completing his solo nonstop fly around the world. Steve Fossett’s balloon on the launch day, 19th of July 2002. Picture curtesy of Shire of […]

DHL Express has successfully delivered another unique shipment – the equipment and gondola for a new world record – a non-stop round-the-world balloon flight by the famous Russian traveler and adventurer Fedor Konyukhov. The capsule of the balloon, specially created for Fedor’s flight, was shipped from Bristol, UK where it had been produced, to Northam, […]

Preparations for the round-the-world balloon flight are in full swing in Northam, West Australia, where local aero club hosts Fedor Konyukhov’s crew and the equipment. By the time of our arrival to Northam, gondola and burners were already delivered from the UK by our partner, DHL. By now, the gondola equipment and the burners passed […]

Last week in Bristol (UK), a historic event took place. Morton balloon, in which the traveler and pilot Fedor Konyukhov plans to fly around the world, was officially transferred to Morton Company. Handover of the balloon was held with the participation of Don Cameron, the owner of the company-manufacturer Cameron Balloons, and the management of […]

3 of March 2016 Breitling.com held a press conference with Russian adventurer and balloon pilot Fedor Konyukhov celebrating Breitling being appointed as official time-keeper for the Morton Round-the-World balloon flight. Fedor Konyukhov Pilot and adventurer (centre) is pictured with his new Breitling Emergency watch, with Alexander Ruchev (MORTON CEO) left & Arsen Balayan (Breitling Russia). […]

“I have received letter of support from Sir Richard Branson. This is a great news. He always inspired me by his projects in the air, in the ocean, on land. Even he was not always the first to achieve the goal but he was pushing the limits, creating completions, investing into technology, promoting sports. Richard […]

During his visit to Cameron Balloons at the end of September, Fedor Konyukhov met with the company founder, a legendary pilot and inventor, Don Cameron, and with Alan Noble, who was project manager for most of the world records flying Roziere balloons over the last 20 years. At the Cameron Balloons factory, located in Bristol, […]