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CNN Sunday Morning

American Attempts to Circumnavigate Globe in Balloon

Aired August 05, 2001 - 09:20   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.
BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Well, so far so good for the American balloonist Steve Fossett. Fossett is on the first leg now of his latest attempt to go solo around the world in a balloon.

And joining me by phone now from Brisbane, Australia to talk about the adventure is John Kuglar. He is Fossett's inflation director. Now, let me explain, an inflation director is somebody who is responsible for inflating the balloon.

So, Mr. Kuglar, are you there?

JOHN KUGLAR, INFLATION DIRECTOR: Yes, I am.

NELSON: OK. How are things going with this latest attempt by Steve Fossett?

KUGLAR: We've had a great inflation. We were delayed a little bit by some weather and there was doubt if we were going to get off the ground, but Steve is in the air. We flew by him several times this afternoon en route from Northam. We caught up with him in the town of our original attempt, Calguley (ph), Australia.

NELSON: Is he still over Australia right now?

KUGLAR: Oh, yeah, he is. He's slowed down a bit, traveling about 30 knots, 20,000 feet.

NELSON: And how long has he been in the air now?

KUGLAR: He's gone about 600 kilometers. He took off at 7:00 AM local time in Australia.

NELSON: OK. So, he's been in the air, what, how many hours? Four or five hours?

KUGLAR: He's been in the air about maybe 14 hours.

NELSON: OK. I'm sorry. All right, he's still over Australia. After he leaves the coast of continental Australia, where does the balloon trajectory take him after that?

KUGLAR: Well, he's traveling almost straight east right now. He is scheduled to leave, maybe in the next, well, I want to say 30 hours, off the coast, between Sydney and Brisbane, and then that trajectory will put him out across the ocean into a new weather system and then zip right across South America, crossing in the Santiago/Chile area, across Argentina and up through possibly South America, or, excuse me, South Africa, back down to Australia, in maybe 15 to 16 days.

NELSON: Now, he's made several attempts. What is there that gives him and you greater hope that he's going to succeed this time around.

KUGLAR: We've always had a real strong team. The balloon is a little bit bigger balloon this time. We've got plenty of fuel. We've got a great weather staff onboard. We have all the tools to make this thing go.

NELSON: Well, that's good. Well, listen, we wish you and him well and we expect to have you back giving us updates on his path and I think it will take probably the better part of about five days, so we will continue to follow that story.

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