12. 03. 99
Breitling Orbiter 3 half-way through

The log book

17:00 GMT: Tonight, Breitling Orbiter 3 will have accomplished half of its round-the-world flight, when crossing 171 degrees longitude East, over the Pacific. Currently flying at approximately 40 knots (72 km/h), the balloon, is heading for the Subtropical jet stream, South of Hawaii, in which it will enter Tuesday night. Team meteorologists Luc Trullemans and Pierre Eckert have chosen to go for the Subtropical jet stream, which is currently forming South of Hawaii, instead of the Polar jet stream. The Subtropical jet stream will take the gondola across Mexico and the Caribbean Islands. Not only this route, which passes close to US military bases such as Wake and Marshall, has good and steady weather conditions all the way, but it will aslo enable the meteorologists to receive more accurate data. In the Polar jet stream, further up North, the balloon would have crossed California and exited on the East Coast of the United States, in an aera where balloons aren’t authorized to fly higher than 27'000 feet, because of heavy airplane traffic. This limitation in altitude would have prevented the balloon from using fast winds. In addition, the crew might also have experienced violent storms over the Pacific. Breitling Orbiter 3 will fly at a speed of 35 to 45 knots for the next few days, while taking a more southern track (15 degrees North of the Equator) towards Hawaii. It will reach the Hawaiian islands around Tuesday midnight. It will then enter the core of the jet stream and speed up to 130 knots (234 km/h). This morning, the crew undertook some housekeeping chores, made a few minor repairs - including persuading a jammed fuel valve to open by hitting it with a hammer – and transferred fuel. " Laying along the outriggers to get to tank valve 14, with Bertrand holding my foot, was not much fun ", Brian Jones observed. It was the first time the pilots opened the hatch in more than a week. The British pilot added that the fresh air had improved the smell inside the gondola. Last night, rival balloonist Steve Fossett sent a fax congratulating the pilots on their achievement to date and wishing them " A safe flight to Mexico ". A few hours later, Richard Branson e-mailed a few lines on the official Breitling Orbiter site. " Hats off to you for an incredibly bold flight, wrote the Virgin boss. It really does look like you could do it this time " 13:30 GMT: Two jet streams options were available. The meteorologists have chosen to take the Subtropical jet stream, which is currently forming around Hawaii. The Breitling Orbiter 3 will fly for the next few days at approximately 30 knots, before entering the jet stream, Tuesday night. 06:00 GMT: At 2:10 GMT 12000 miles have already been covered by the Breitling Orbiter 3. The two pilots admitted that they are very impressed by the immense expanse of water which is their only scenery. Shortly before dawn, the balloon descended to an altitude of 6,000 feet.It was the first time after one week that Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones opened the hatch on top of the gondola to taste fresh air and to undertake some housekeeping chores.