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Spirit Of Peace Announces Around The World Flight Mission From : Jean Claude Weber 
With ballooning’s great accomplishments as a backdrop, a group of non-profit organisations announced plans to support an expedition of the first manned non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by balloon called Spirit of Peace. The pilots and flight teams from the United Kingdom and the United States of America discussed the mission at a news conference today at the Soukup & Thomas International Balloon & Airship Museum in Mitchell, South Dakota.
Pilot-in-command Jacques W. Soukup (USA/UK) and pilots Mark Sullivan (USA) and Crispin Williams (UK) introduced the specifics of the mission, which will be launched from Albuquerque, New Mexico this winter. The flight control team will be coordinating the international flight from the Fantasy of Flight Museum/Attraction near Orlando, Florida. The Soukup & Thomas International Balloon & Airship Museum and Fantasy of Flight Museum/Attraction are two major partners of this mission. 
The primary sponsor of the Spirit of Peace is Reverend Marta S. Weeks of the United States Episcopal Church. Based in the Diocese of Southeast Florida, her ministry and outreach includes an area from the Philippines to Panama to Russia to Paris. Her compassion for human welfare and her desire to promote equality in a diversity of cultures, religions and political systems is the motivation for this sponsorship.
The Spirit of Peace will be carried around the world by a British-built roziere balloon, which is a combination gas and hot air balloon. It holds 550,000 cubic feet of helium gas and 24,000 cubic feet of hot air. When inflated it stands 19 stories tall. The Spirit of Peace capsule, where the pilots will be living, is constructed from Kevlar and carbon fiber and will have an internal pressure equivalent to 3,500 meters (12,000 feet) of altitude. It will fly in the jet stream at heights up to 42,000 feet. Spirit of Peace Pilot-in-Command Jacques W. Soukup, a resident of Lacock, Wiltshire, UK, a US Citizen and a native South Dakotan, started ballooning in hot air balloons in 1979 and received his commercial gas balloon rating in 1983. He has extensive international ballooning experience with over 2000 hours in hot air, gas and Rozier balloons. Along with his partner, Kirk S. Thomas, Jacques was a pioneer in the development and popularization of special shaped balloons, such as the heads of Uncle Sam and Carmen Miranda. A major player on the ballooning world’s political stage, Jacques was elected by more than 40 countries to serve as President of the Ballooning Commission of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the world’s air sport and record setting Federation, for nearly 4 years. He also served as a Vice President of the FAI for 6 years. Spirit of Peace Pilot Mark Sullivan, a resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, started ballooning in hot air balloons in 1982 and received his gas balloon rating in 1985. He holds a USA commercial license and has 1350 hours in balloons, with 400 of them in gas balloons. He has achieved Level VIII of the Balloon Federation of America Pilot Achievement Program, Level IX of the FAA Wings Program and holds the Gold Sporting Badge with Three Diamonds from the Ballooning Commission of the FAI, the world’s air sport and record federation. He has also received the prestigious Montgolfier Diploma from the FAI Ballooning Commission, ballooning’s highest award. Mark Sullivan’s wife, Irene and his children, Michelle, Mark and Bryan are avid balloon enthusiasts. Spirit of Peace Pilot Crispin J. Williams, A resident of Langford, Somerset, UK, started ballooning in hot air balloons in 1974 with the Anglia Aeronauts Ascension Association after 13 years as a fixed wing pilot including time in the Royal Air Force as an RAF Navigator. Once he discovered ballooning, however, he gave up flying heavier-than-air aircraft. He achieved his private pilot’s license (PPL) in balloons in 1974 and flew in the first UK National Championship in 1975. Crispin Williams and his wife and crew chief Sara have attended every UK National Championship since then. An accomplished balloonist, Crispin has been the highest placed pilot at a World Championship and can normally be found in the top ten finishers at European Hot Air Balloon Championships. The Spirit of Peace is one of five announced global attempts. In addition to Spirit of Peace, Steve Fossett’s Solo Spirit is set to launch from Argentina in July to try the southern route. This winter, Breitling Orbiter and Virgin Challenger will launch in the Northern Hemisphere and Team RE/MAX will launch from Australia The Spirit of Peace expedition will be the first manned non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by balloon. This non-commercial adventure is made possible primarily by the donations of individuals and the involvement of non-profit organizations. As the mission glides around the world it will promote equality for all and a genuine concern for human welfare above a diversity of cultures, religions and political systems in the Spirit of Peace. UK Contact: Kirk Thomas 01249 730031 USA Contact: Tom Garrity (505) 765-5380  |
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25th Anniversary of Austrian Kiting Club Koessen From : Sepp Himberger Hallo from Kössen ! The sport of Hanggliding is celebrating soon it´s official birthday . Austrian Kiting Club Koessen - the oldest Hanggliding Club in the world is celebrating it`s 25 th anniversary. For this occasion on July 11 th 1998 in the towncenter of Koessen a big Open-Air Festival will be organized - starting at 19.00 hours. As the President of the Club I wish to invite all friends of our sport to celebrate with us this jubilee. Beste Grüße aus Kössen Sepp Himberger |
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Gustave
Weisskopf From : William J. O'Dwyer It was enjoyable to find the long coverage you gave to the Gustave Whitehead (Weisskopf) history and research projects. I wrote to you earlier but found no reply. May I offer the following suggested changes in the text? I know I often need help when it comes to German language and terminologies. In the second paragraph : the propellers were what we call "ground- adjustable pitch propellers." This means you can adjust them to any pitch while on the ground without the engine running, as opposed to "fixed pitch" of "adjustable pitch" (the latter which is done while in flight. Your third paragraph: Change it to read, ---- Then how reliable are these reports?... Paragraph 6: We had not collected "all the documentation" / We have collected extensive documentation, and continue adding to those files every year. Paragraph 7: "...beginning with towings while on a trailer, in tethered tow tests without a pilot, and then powered tows with a pilot, via cable attached to the auto. Then free powered flight tests, starting with short hops, then longer distances as pilot confidence grew, to finally the longer 300 to 500 meter flights. Paragraph 11: recognizes, not recognises. Paragraph 12: "hydrogen peroxide" is all news to me!!!!!! Not fact! Someone mis-understands that item. Let me explain and perhaps you can rewrite it based on these facts. Gustave Whitehead arrived in Bridgeport in early-1900. At time he arrived the newspapers were advertising the sale of stock in the Liquid Air Corporation. Liquid Air was invented in Paris in the 1890's. It was a French firm known as "Air Liquid." In late-1890's they began manufacturing "Liquid Air" in USA. They opened a large firm to produce it, in late-1899 and early-1900, in New Haven, Connecticut. "Liquid Air" (at that time in history) was every day room air compressed to twelve thousand pounds per square inch (12,000psi). Over in Europe they learned where when liquid air was mixed with any form of carbon it created an explosive chemistry. It was used to blast tunnels in the Alps. It could be transported without fear of exploding, as opposed to other gases, or explosives. It could be mixed with carbons at the site thereby ending the dangers in transporting such items as nitro-glycerine, unstable gun powder, etc. In their advertisement to sell their Stock to readers, they listed all of the benefits. Among them they stated it would be most useful if used by aeronauts hoping to build a light weight motor for their airships. A full page and a half feature article was written describing the manufacture and its many proposed and experienced uses. This all appeared in March through July 1900, at time Whitehead was building his calcium carbide (acetylene) engine and generator. Because calcium carbide is a form of carbon, when liquid air is added the first element to escape from the frozen state of being liquefied room air is oxygen. It is the oxygen, when mixed with carbon, that the explosive power is obtained. It was available to purchase in Bridgeport, in 1900, by Whitehead, in small cylinders. It is the likely chemistry that was described as "a queer mixture" used by Whitehead in his "secret" fuel of 1901. It was also called a "queer mixture" in both the July 1901 report about the manufacture and explanation of Liquid Air, as well as in the eye witness report that appeared in the Aug. 18, 1901 Bridgeport Sunday Herald, written by the sports editor, Richard Howell. Howell wrote both reports! It was Howell who was claimed to be present when GW flew the first half mile flight on Aug. 14, 1901. Added to acetylene, an oxyacetylene fuel (gas) results. Effective, yet very dangerous. And mixed and combusted where Whitehead stood in the airframe. He knew it was not the answer to a "practical engine." He found it useful in his pursuit to design an eventual practical engine. It clearly was not "hydrogen peroxide." You have been not informed correctly. It would draw much criticism from scholars and engineers alike. Par.11 (of Who was Gustav Weisskopf?) Correct spelling is "realize," (not realise) All of Whitehead's tools and equipment was not "sold off." He hid his engines in the neighbor's cellar, along with most of his tools. With his money he bought another large parcel of land and built his final home on Alvin Street (Alvin [Ablin] was his middle name: Gustav Albin (Alvin) Weisskopf. The loss of his home to the sheriff did not cause his health to decline. That is myth. He continued work at Alvin Street home. He stored his aircraft from earlier years in Knapp's barn on Knapp's highway. Lt. Colonel Robert Delbuono, of our 9315th USAF Reserve Squadron recalled play-ing in that barn, in the 1930's when he was a teenager, and that airframes and wings built by Whitehead were there. Whitehead did not end his work until 1912. Lee S. Burridge, of the Aero Club of America, wanted Whitehead to build an engine to power Burridge's ridiculous design for a helicopter. He advanced some money for that engine to be built. When Whitehead told him his helicopter would never fly and Burgess became very angry. He went to Charles Wittemann, at Staten Island, NY, who was selling Whitehead engines. He had Wittemann install an engine so he could test his helicopter. Wittemann installed a Whitehead engine. The heli-copter never did or could fly! That was 1910. Whitehead's own 1911 studies of helicopter problem resulted in a 60-bladed helicopter. That helicopter appears in our 1978 book, History by Contract. Whitehead died of a massive heart attack, on Oct 10, 1927, after attempting to lift an engine out of an automobile he was repairing. He stumbled up to his front porch and into his home, collapsing dead in the house. His burial was at Lakeview Cemetery, on Boston Avenue, next to the General Elec-tric Manufacturing firm. The family could not afford a headstone. The cemetery organization installed a bronze marker "pin" (on exhibit at the GW Museum) "Nr. 42, row 27. They did not install a stone. None of the bronze pins have any-one's name. When I found this was the only way he was remembered I sought a stone to be donated to his grave and engraved by the stone maker. The Honey-spot gravestone monument firm donated that monument I designed. I authored the inscription. When it was dedicated (Aug 15, 1964) a huge gathering of people attended that ceremony. Every branch of the armed services was rep-resented: Air Force, Air Force Reserve, U.S. Army, US Navy, US Coast Guard, Connecticut National Air Guard, plus the Boy Scouts of America. Also present were members of the Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Association. Also Lt. Governor of our State, US Congressman Donald Irwin, air pioneer Clarence chamberlain (who flew the Atlantic after Lindbergh) Charles Wittemann, who bought, sold and flew with GW engines, Anton Pruckner (Gus-tave Whitehead's toolmaker/ machinist assistant in 1900-01, and 1903-05. GW's three daughters were also there: Rose Whitehead Rennison, Lillian Whitehead Baker, and Nellie Whitehead Kustere Please correct all spellings of Stella Randolph. You have listed her as Rundolf and as Rudolph. Her true name is Randolph. The 1978 book, History by Contract, only contained what we had learned up to mid-1978. A host of added valuable information was found in the years following that book, enough to create a second volume. Photos showing Gustave Whitehead in successful powered flight did exist and were exhibited in the hardware store window of Lyon and Grumman Hardware store, on Main Street, Bridgeport, Conneciticut in October 1903, as was reported in the Bridgeport Daily Standard newspaper. A photo showing GW in successful motor driven flight, was on exhibit in the 1906 First Annual Exhibit of the Aero Club of America. It was held in the 69th Regiment Armory in New York City. This fact was reported by the aeronautical editor for the Scientific American magazine. Responsable" is correctly spelled as responsible. Paragraph 6, in "To Ceasar what is of Caesar" // Suggest change in last two sentences. Proposed: For what possible reason would the heirs to Orville Wright's Estate, or Orville's Last Will, have so many conditional clauses if the Wrights knew they were the first to fly with power? First is first. A contract does not make someone "first." Why would they have a penalty clause in the contract if someone else was discovered to be first. Further, the quoted portion of the Century Magazine article that is represented as a statement made by both Wilbur and Orville Wright, and which must accompany the Wright's 1903 Kitty Hawk "Flyer" biplane at Smithsonian, was not coauthored by Wilbur and Orville. That entire article was coauthored by Orville and his sister, Katherine. Wilbur was in France when that September 1908 article was written by Katherine Wright and Orville Wright. Not one word requested by Wilbur to be included in that article was ever entered by Orville or Katherine. To continue to misrepresent that quote came from an article coauthored by Orville and Wilbur it outright false. The only joint statement ever issued by the Wrights, signed by the Wrights, was sent to the Aero Club of America. In it the Wrights only acknowledge one successful flight for Dec., 1 7, 1903. It was the fourth flight. They noted it was for a distance of 872 feet. The other three flights were more hops, not flights at all, and they both recognized this when they wrote to the president of the Aero Club of America. The Whitehead monument atop the obelisk structure is outside the north gate that enters the ancient walled city of Leutershausen. Those entries are known as Gate Towers. Only the north gate is turreted. The other is a square tower. The airframes built and tested in both the USA and in Germany are not "replicas." They are "reproductions" of the airframe alone. A replica would have had to be built by GW in his shop. "Reproductions " are created later, and by later plans. Only original plans can be used to create a replica. We are not building replica airframes or replica engines. They are all reproductions. Herb Kelly should be spelled Herb Kelley. Metric scale plans were sought, at request of Hermann Betscher, in 1991. I met and worked with our Mass Properties engineer (in old days they were known as Weights & Balance engineers). His name is Arling " Pud" Schmidt. He worked for many years for Boeing Vertol, in Philadelphia offices, in Pennsylvania. He later worked as Mass Properties engineer for MdDonnell-Douglas. He then returned as a contract engineer for Boeing Vertol, from which he retired this past year. Other engineers also drew plans. Out of all the plans drawn we have come upon a composite that includes the best and most reliable detail for building the reproduction airframe. I trust you will accept all of this as constructive criticisms. They are all well intentioned to assist you in your own knowledge about this most interesting history. Best warmest regards, as ever.... William J. O'Dwyer Major, USAF Reserve(Retired) email: wjodwyer@aol.com Phone and FAX (203) 259-7002 Address: 208 Reef Road Fairfield, CT USA 06430 |
| OTHER ARTICLES OF ASI JULY'98 ISSUE | News In Brief | Letters To The Editor | World Records | | Surface To Air | | Flying For The Tasman Trophy | | Got A Little Arm Pain ? | | Champagne Soaring | | Otherton International | |
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