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CNN Live Saturday

Fossett Again Attempts to Circle World in Hot Air Balloon

Aired August 11, 2001 - 12:26   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: Chicago tycoon Steve Fossett's balloon Solo Spirit, drifting majestically somewhere over the South Pacific. And on the phone with us right now is Jim Mitchell. He's spokesman for Fossett's latest attempt to circle the globe alone.

Hi, Jim.

JIM MITCHELL, SPOKESPERSON, SOLO SPIRIT: Hi.

KELLEY: Can you tell us where he is?

MITCHELL: Well he's out about 400 miles north of the Pitcairn Island, 3,800 miles from the Chilean coast. He's about three days away from coast, as matter of fact.

KELLEY: He's about a quarter of the way on the trip, isn't he?

MITCHELL; Well, about 30 percent, 32 percent depending on you measure it.

KELLEY: How do it look ahead for him? How does weather look? How are things going for him?

MITCHELL: Well, it looks clear. The meteorologist is pleased with what he sees. And we don't anticipate any immediate problems.

KELLEY: Anything that he's run into, that's been a problem so far?

MITCHELL: Not lately. He had some communication problems early and some oxygen problems, but those seem have been squared away.

KELLEY: OK. So he's going about 75 miles an hour, trying to get on this solo trip around the globe. Why is this so important to him, Jim?

MITCHELL: Well, he's a person that thrives on challenges. As you may recall, he has participated in the Iditarod dog sled race. He's won the English Channel. He holds 10 yachting records. And he's undoubtedly the most successful long-distance balloonist. And so he does these things and apparently enjoys them.

KELLEY: He hopes to get back within couple of weeks. If this doesn't work out, and we're certainly not hoping for that, but if it doesn't, he's tried five times before. Will he try again?

MITCHELL: Well that's hard to say. He's got a number of others things he's trying to do. He's trying to break in the Atlantic sailing record between East coast and England and is talking about some sail plane records that he wants to try. So he's a busy man.

KELLEY: Yes, he is. I wonder when he sleeps.

Jim Mitchell, who is a spokesman for Steve Fossett, thanks very much.

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