View Full Version : Balloon circumnavigation of globe - Konyukhov Fedor Filippovich
WingNut60
22nd Jul 2016, 12:48
Reported in the "West Australian" newspaper 20:13 AWST
A Russian balloonist looks set to smash the world circumnavigation record set by the late Steve Fossett 14 years ago.
He will even slow down so he doesn’t arrive back in WA at night.
Depending on wind conditions, Konyukhov Fedor Filippovich, 64, is expected to land somewhere between where he left - Northam 95km north-east of Perth - and Kalgoorlie on Saturday morning.
That would mean he will have flown his hot air balloon around the world non-stop in 11 days, breaking Mr Fossett’s 2002 record of 33,000km in 13 days and eight hours.
Mr Konyukhov’s son Oscar said the adventurer had covered more than 30,000km by mid-afternoon Friday and would have to ease off on his current speed of 220km/h so he could safely land after sunrise.
B Fraser
22nd Jul 2016, 13:34
A record breaking solo round the world flight. I am sure Mr Fossett would have approved as records are there to be broken so well done that man !
I look forward to reading that HCAP will give this man an award for a remarkable achievement that was totally above board. (If HCAP are reading this, his name is Fedor Konyukhov).
Ocean Person
23rd Jul 2016, 07:42
A noble right on inspiring adventure. More than ever our sad modern world needs men like Fedor Konyukhov and the Russian people have every reason to be proud of him. The name of his balloon says much, it certainly infers amor patriae.
O.P.
Kulverstukas
23rd Jul 2016, 11:36
Successful landing reported. (https://russian.rt.com/article/313559-on-sdelal-eto-polzovateli-socsetei-pozdravlyayut-konyuhova)
Very well done, sir.:ok::ok::ok:
Kulverstukas
23rd Jul 2016, 12:06
This guy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Konyukhov) has 2 solo row boat around the world records and one yacht solo around the world also.
Capn Bloggs
23rd Jul 2016, 12:48
Full flight:
https://s26.postimg.org/v96bntk5l/balloonfull.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/5dml4mibp/)
Winds for last couple of days:
http://s26.postimg.org/72r2yy8nd/Balloon_Winds.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
Landing: he flew right over his departure point at Northam...
http://s26.postimg.org/a5weg2czt/balloonfinal2.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
25S1IPIH-C4
India Four Two
23rd Jul 2016, 13:57
Fantastic achievement.
How is a circumnavigation specified? Is there a latitude limit or perhaps a minimum distance flown?
Capn Bloggs
23rd Jul 2016, 14:20
Another news video with more detail (Channel 7 Perth):
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/32123401/russian-balloonist-lands-after-record-flight/#page1
Phantom Driver
23rd Jul 2016, 18:28
Great achievement indeed. How come the first we here of this is when he landed ? Media interest in Russian affairs a little lopsided these days . Soyuz comes and goes to ISS with fantastic reliability and minimal fanfare or media interest (although Tim Peake naturally warranted a major effort in UK).
Despite geopolitics, would be nice to acknowledge now and again the good things they do in the aviation and aerospace world.
WingNut60
24th Jul 2016, 02:35
Exactly, Phantom Driver.
I started the thread precisely because the achievement was going largely unnoticed and unheralded.
The only mention I could find in PPrune was as an aside in a post from Dick Smith complaining about ADSB regs.
I would dearly like to know whether his final leg, directly over Perth and then precisely (again) over Northam was the consequence of precision flying or pure good fortune.
I didn't think that the path of a balloon was controllable to that degree; and certainly not after flying 30K++ km.
I can tell you that as he left from, and landed near Perth, there has been heaps of publicity here.
Capn Bloggs
24th Jul 2016, 05:10
More:
No Cookies | Perth Now (http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/aroundtheworld-balloonist-fedor-konyukhov-soars-over-perth-to-set-new-world-record/news-story/cdfad778b35a7f72574cec7217634d84)
RAT 5
24th Jul 2016, 05:34
I can tell you that as he left from, and landed near Perth, there has been heaps of publicity here.
It is astonishing that anyone in a balloon, trapped to some extent in the whims of the wind, can depart, fly 40,000km's over nearly 2 weeks, and return close to the start point. The 'miss distance' as a % of the distance flown is an inner bull and amazing.
The comment about slowing down: will those more expert explain that; is it a case of descending out of strong winds? But that might alter the track as well. What's the secret?
172driver
24th Jul 2016, 22:07
First of all - CONGRATS!
As to the maneuverability of a hot air balloon (or a Roziere, as in this case). Many years ago I had the great pleasure to do several flights in hot air balloons with one of the best balloon pilots of the time, an Austrian guy named Starkbaum. You would be amazed, how much the course of a balloon can be influenced by a skilled pilot! And I have no doubt, that Mr. Konyukhov is just that. Well done, great achievement.
PS: agree WRT the non-reporting. If this had been Steve Fossett (RIP), it would have been all over the news. Then again, there was a surfeit of very bad news over the last couple of weeks, might have contributed to drowning out this one.
rjtjrt
24th Jul 2016, 22:17
Great achievement indeed. How come the first we here of this is when he landed ? Media interest in Russian affairs a little lopsided these days . Soyuz comes and goes to ISS with fantastic reliability and minimal fanfare or media interest (although Tim Peake naturally warranted a major effort in UK).
Despite geopolitics, would be nice to acknowledge now and again the good things they do in the aviation and aerospace world.
Phantom Driver
Re press. We are apparently all very parochial in our outlook, and press/media seem to reflect that (or maybe they promote it as well).
Also press/media are a bit lazy or perhaps under resourced, and will report stuff if it is given to them on a plate. Maybe the support team didn't give press/media enough packaged small bites of material during flight.
Dont Hang Up
25th Jul 2016, 07:11
While I would not wish to belittle this achievement, can someone enlighten me on what constitutes a definition of "round the World" for these purposes?
If one does not have to pass through two diametrically opposite points, or even, it seems, pass through the Equator then "round the World" could be literally as short as you wish.
No doubt there are important technical / meteorological reasons why the last two round the World records were set in entirely in the Southern Hemisphere (while the first circumnavigation was in the Northern Hemisphere), and I realise that an Equator crossing by balloon may not be feasible . Shouldn't "round the World Northern Hemisphere" and "round the World Southern Hemisphere" constitute separate records?
no_one
25th Jul 2016, 08:37
Dont Hang Up,
The FAI define what is a record and the classes that apply for all sorts of different aeronautical categories.
If you go to the link below and then go and download section 1, you will have the section on Aerostats. Have a read of clause 4.8.3 and you will find that the distance traveled can not be as short as you wish.
DOCUMENTS (http://www.fai.org/fai-documents)
Dont Hang Up
25th Jul 2016, 09:53
I am now enlightened. Thanks to no one ;)
Kulverstukas
25th Jul 2016, 16:57
last two round the World records were set in entirely in the Southern Hemisphere
Because of existence of high mountains on the way in Northern?
Lonewolf_50
25th Jul 2016, 17:05
Nice job Konyukhov Fedor Filippovich. There's a lot of lonesome ocean (and some tough seas) along the route he took, which could have been lethal had the balloon run into problems. Glad for PPRuNe and Wingnut for this good news story. (Been a lot of bad news lately ...)
N707ZS
25th Jul 2016, 17:09
No mention that the balloon was made by Camerons of Bristol!
WingNut60
25th Jul 2016, 17:34
Because of existence of high mountains on the way in Northern?
I am sure that is a factor, but they still need to cross the Andes and they're not small.
I suspect that it may have more to do with the number of borders to cross at those latitudes (whichever hemisphere) and more predictable winds and weather over the southern hemisphere ocean crossings as compared to a northern hemisphere transit.
G-CPTN
25th Jul 2016, 17:55
Russian adventurer smashes daring world record in Bristol balloon (http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/russian-adventurer-smashes-daring-world-record-in-bristol-balloon/story-29543904-detail/story.html).
Kulverstukas
25th Jul 2016, 20:44
https://s26.postimg.org/v96bntk5l/balloonfull.jpg
He mostly travel above waters. Similar circle at the upper part of the globe will be mostly above lands and I think winds are less favorable also.
Cazalet33
25th Jul 2016, 21:13
This guy is worthy of a medal from from a notorious City Guild which has recently and inappropriately heaped so much adulation upon a very unworthy recipient.
He probably won't get that medal of course, but that's because there was no falsity in his aeronautical achievement.
press/media are a bit lazy
Not lazy, just have their own agenda and this event was not part of it.
The media complain about censorship laws and keeping sources secret, but they practice the widest form of censorship in that if it doesn't fit their agenda, it does not get published.
Lonewolf_50
26th Jul 2016, 03:16
This guy is worthy of a medal from from a notorious City Guild which has recently and inappropriately heaped so much adulation upon a very unworthy recipient.
He probably won't get that medal of course, but that's because there was no falsity in his aeronautical achievement.
This guy is worthy of a medal from from a notorious City Guild which has recently and inappropriately heaped so much adulation upon a very unworthy recipient.
That Can'T be true, Caz!
Say it ain't so!