20. 03. 99
Breitling Orbiter 3 : Round the world balloon flight completed

The log book

11:00 GMT: The Breitling Orbiter 3, at 09h54 (GMT) hours passed the " finishing line " of 9.27° over Mauritania, North Africa, completing their " round the world balloon trip ". Bertrand Piccard and Brian jones have now become the first balloonists to circumnavigate the globe with a non-stop, non-refuelled flight. It has taken the Breitling team 19 days, 1 hour and 49 minutes to travel the 42'810 kms. They are now on route towards Egypt, where they plan to land tomorrow morning.