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CNN Live At Daybreak

Balloonist Steve Fossett's Flight At Critical Juncture

Aired August 17, 2001 - 07:12   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We have the latest now on what is going to happen to Steve Fossett in his round the world pursuit of a record -- being the first to solo in a balloon around the world.

Kevin Stass, his flight director, is getting information right now and assessing the situation, but we want to immediately go to Jim Mitchell. He is the spokesperson over at flight control in St. Louis.

Good morning, Jim.

JIM MITCHELL, MISSION SPOKESMAN: Good morning.

LIN: What's the status of this mission now? Does it look like Steve Fossett is going to be able to go forward?

MITCHELL: Well, we're right at a critical juncture here. The decision to go forward will -- or to land will probably be made in the next 10 or 15 minutes, although these things do get drawn out. But he is coming down from 20,000 feet. He is approaching the coast, although toward the coastal city of Rio Grande in Brazil. He is right on the border with Uruguay and Brazil, so I can't tell you exactly which country he's in at this point in time.

LIN: So what is Kevin Stass, the flight director, doing right now? What sort of information does he need to assess in order to determine whether Steve Fossett can continue on?

MITCHELL: Well, there has been a conference running on for about 20 minutes here deciding between the top officials and the flight as to the status, talking to the pilot continuously on the phone. He is probably -- they have probably talked to him for an hour, hour-and-a- half. Clearly...

(CROSSTALK)

LIN: What are you trying to figure out though? Is this a matter of oxygen supply, food supply, water?

MITCHELL: No. This is a matter of thunderstorms. He spent the last 8 to 10 hours in thunderstorms. And so the decision now is can he get out to sea on the proper trajectory at the right altitude? And there is some real question about that.

And then in addition, there is the matter of the status of the pilot himself. He has been up 13 days or something like that.

And then there is the question of how much additional time would be required of the fuel supply to get to Africa and on to Australia.

So these are the options that are being weighed at this time.

LIN: What do you think is the most critical at this point? Is it fatigue? As you were saying, Steve Fossett -- and just simply being too exhausted to go forward?

MITCHELL: Well, the critical matter is can he fly at an altitude for as long as would be required by his oxygen supply? If he comes down low, then that's constrained by clouds and also by wind. So it -- they are weighing all of these factors and trying to decide what to do.

LIN: As you look at the weather patterns ahead, do you see any hope? Do you see any windows?

MITCHELL: Well, there is going to be cloud -- intermittent cloud here for a day or two certainly. And it's a question of do you fly over it or below it? And if you fly above it, you're going to need more oxygen. And if you fly below, you'll have cloud above you, which affects the heating of the balloon and also affects the trajectory.

There are -- you know, there are a couple of things that might be done, and one might -- you might fly out low and then move up and hopefully correct your trajectory some. That's a possibility. Or you can start out high and try to run for it all the way. But you have to have a fairly secure supply of oxygen if you are going to do that.

LIN: Yes. And not a lot of margin for error here.

Jim Mitchell, thanks so much for coming to us so soon. I know we're waiting for Kevin Stass to come with the fresh information. You said it might come in the next 10-15 minutes, so we're going to check back with you. Thanks. And we'll let you get back to work.

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