Branson hopes to trace Fossett with Google images

September 6, 2007 - 6:00AM

British billionaire Richard Branson said today he was hoping to trace Steve Fossett through a satellite mapping service offered by internet data provider Google as the search for the missing US adventurer resumed.

Branson told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. he was worried that Fossett, who disappeared over the Nevada desert after taking off in a small plane late on Monday, had not activated the aircraft's emergency tracking beacon.

"I'm talking with friends at Google about seeing whether we can look at satellite images over the last four days to see whether they can see which direction he might have been flying and whether they can see any disturbances anywhere that they can pin from space," he said from Barcelona, Spain.

The company's Google Earth product offers a mapping service using satellite imagery.

The state wing of the Civil Air Patrol resumed its search on Wednesday, focusing on a 1,555-sq-km area south of the airstrip used by Fossett about 130km southeast of Reno, Nevada.

Aircraft from the Nevada Air National Guard and Naval Air Station, Fallon, Nevada were joining the search.

On Tuesday 13 aircraft looked in vain for signs of Fossett's plane in the Nevada desert and mountains.

Branson has teamed up with his friend Fossett on several aviation adventures and his Virgin company underwrote the US aviator's successful first solo nonstop flight around the world in 2005.

"He's not only the greatest aviator in the world, he's also the greatest gliding pilot in the world ... I'm very confident that he would have got the plane down in one piece as long as the terrain below him was desert and not mountainous hills or woods or rocks," Branson said.

"Having said that, obviously we're worried (about) the fact that there's been no emergency beacon go off ... He could be injured which means the emergency services have just got to get to him as soon as possible."

Authorities said Fossett, 63, had planned to scout sites in the Nevada desert for an attempt to set a world land speed record, a bid that Branson described as highly dangerous.

"In fact, I've personally tried to dissuade him out of this particular record because there are extreme risks attached to it," he said.

Fossett, who was piloting a plane with enough fuel for four or five hours of flight, earned his fortune as a financial trader. In 2002 he became the first person to fly a balloon solo around the world.

Branson said it would be ironic if Fossett -- whose balloons were twice forced down in the Pacific -- had run into trouble on what was supposed to be a routine flight.

"If you look at the history of adventurers, it is so often the simple things (that cause trouble) ... Lawrence of Arabia went through everything and was then killed in a motorbike accident when he'd given up all his dangerous pursuits in Arabia," he said.

High-tech computer joins hunt for adventurer Steve Fossett

An aircraft with state of the art imaging technology joined the search for aviator Steve Fossett today, two days after a plane flown by the millionaire adventurer vanished over a rugged region of Nevada.

Six aircraft and three helicopters resumed operations over 155,000 hectares of mountain terrain after failing to find any trace of Fossett during searches late Monday and yesterday.

Fossett, who has survived numerous brushes with death during a series of record-breaking solo flights around the world by balloon and aircraft, has not been heard from since taking off from a private airstrip early on Monday.

Officials say finding Fossett's possible whereabouts is "like searching for a needle in a haystack".

Rescue planes were boosted by clear skies and calm flying conditions today after being buffeted by turbulence during earlier searches.

Major Cynthia Ryan of the Civil Air Patrol revealed that high-tech hyperspectral imaging equipment known as ARCHER, which is capable of distinguishing between objects on the ground, was also being deployed aboard an aircraft flown in from neighbouring Utah.

"ARCHER is essentially something used by the geosciences," Ryan said. "It's pretty sophisticated stuff ... beyond what the human eye can generally see."

Ryan said information about Fossett's plane would be input into ARCHER, which would then be able to compare the dimensions of the data to objects found on the ground.

"It might see boulders, it might see trees, it might see mountains, sagebrush, whatever, but it goes 'Not that' or 'Yes, that'," she said.

"The amazing part of this is that it can see as little as 10 per cent of the target, and extrapolate from there."

Fossett's family raised the alarm when the 63-year-old adventurer failed to return following his departure at around 9am on Monday (0200 AEST Tuesday) in a single-engine Bellanca.

Fossett's plane was equipped with an electronic tracking device designed to be activated in the event of a crash but it had not been deployed, according to rescue officials.

Ryan said earlier that officials were optimistic that Fossett could be found alive if he had survived a crash.

"He's a very savvy and methodical and determined pilot. I'd give him the highest odds," Ryan said.

Fossett made the first solo nonstop, non-refuelled circumnavigation of the world in 67 hours in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer.

In 2002, he was the first person to fly solo around the world in a balloon.

British tycoon Richard Branson, who partnered Fossett on earlier attempts to circle the globe in a balloon, said he was confident his friend would be found.

"If he's landed and he's not too badly hurt, he's the one person in the world who will be mentally and physically equipped to get out of it," he said.

Fossett was said to be scouting possible desert locations for an assault on the land-speed record next month during Monday's flight.

A multi-millionaire who made his fortune dealing stocks in Chicago, Fossett has spent the past two decades chasing world records and shattering them, sailing, floating and flying faster and farther than anyone before.

In 2006, he touched his aircraft down at an airfield on Britain's south coast, setting the record for the longest solo, non-stop, non-refuelled flight in terms of distance.

Pushing his flying skills and physical endurance to the limits, Fossett guided his Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer 42,000 km around the world despite a fuel leak at take-off and dangerous wind shifts.

Fossett has also set dozens of world records in sailing boats, gliders and hot air balloons.

AFP/Reuters

Lived the life of many.. Sir Richard Branson

Sir Rick

Just on the TV here in UK Sir Richard said that, "he has lived the life of many" which is very true. Uk tv also reporting extra imaging aircraft draughted in.

Not looking good is it, 24 hours after reports started and oh i'm not sure many more since the actual incident.

Its daylight in the USA so lets hope something positive happens soon.

G

Steve Fossett in Google Earth

Well somebody has plotted hi slast known position, which rather obviously is the airport of departure still, gives you some idea of the terrain.

Google Maps

Google Earth

I have no idea if this is the right place or not!!!

G

Google Earth called in for Steve Fossett search.

I am hearing this on the BBC 1 new, right now. Sir Richard Branson just noted that when Google wakes up the lastest satellite images will be scoured.

Looking for a link to that report now.

G

Sky news Steve Fossett, search to continue at first light.

Heres is sky news report

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1282786,00.html

Just hearing that the search will continue again at first light. Also hearing comments from Andy Elson on Sky but can't find a stream for him at the minute.

I wonder why the greatest nation on earth is not launching some UAV's to help in the search. It would after all be uesful training for their operators.

G

British balloon team placement

Plenty of hot air for balloon battle pilots



BALLOONISTS will be taking to the skies over Cambridgeshire in a battle to win a place in the British team taking part in the world championships in Austria next year.

Up to 20 hot air balloons are expected to be involved in the contest at Lakeside Lodge in Pidley next weekend.

Pilots from all over Britain will demonstrate their skills and will have to carry out a range of tasks to show their ability to fly accurately.

Steve Bellaby, event director, said: "Pidley is a great venue for a hot air balloon competition. The conditions are normally challenging, testing pilots' ability to perform tasks well under pressure. Also the landowners are always so welcoming. It is a real joy to fly here."

Mr Bellaby added: "British hot air balloon pilots are definitely among the best in the world, they regularly win competitions abroad and boast former world and European champions."

Flying will take place at about 6.45am and 5.30pm on Saturday and 6.45am on Sunday.

Steve Fossett, latest press conference video

Steve Fossett, New Zealand anxious wait for news

Anxious wait for news of Fossett

Sep 5, 2007 6:11 PM

New Zealanders who have got to know Steve Fossett are anxiously waiting for news of the adventurer who has gone missing over the Nevada desert.

The American liked New Zealand and spent some time at Omarama in North Otago chasing the world height gliding record.

He forged many friendships and those people are optimistic about his fate, saying he is a careful and calculating flyer.

"Fingers crossed that he's out there somewhere...still safe," says Bill Walker.

Kiwi pilot Terry Delore saw Fossett just six weeks ago in Nevada and says he will fight for his life.

"Something's obviously gone wrong, he won't go out somewhere and put the aircraft down for a day and go walkabouts, there's no way he would do that," Delore says.

Delore has broken 11 gliding records with Fossett and says he always carefully planned his expeditions.

"Every risk he does take he manages and it's calculated. He wouldn't have been sticking his neck out."

And it is not just gliding which drew Fossett to New Zealand. His $8 million catamaran was built in Auckland and at the time it was the world's largest ocean racing multihull.

"He likes New Zealand because of the outdoors, because of the mountains, and the flying conditions...he was planning on coming back here next year and I hope he still does," says Delore.

Source: ONE News

Steve Fosset CNN video

Link to CNN report

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/04/fossett.missing/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

Steve Fossett, wiki link

Heres Steve's wiki entry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Fossett

Lets hope for good news soon.

Plane carrying aviation adventurer Steve Fosset missing

SCOTT SONNER

Associated Press

September 4, 2007 at 4:22 PM EDT

RENO, Nev. — Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett, who has cheated death time and again in his successful pursuit of aviation records, was missing Tuesday after taking off in a single-engine plane the day before, federal officials said.

Teams searched a broad swath of rugged terrain in western Nevada near the ranch where he took off, but searchers had little to go on because he apparently didn't file a flight plan, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said.

“They are working on some leads, but they don't know where he is right now,” FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said.

The 63-year-old took off at 8:45 a.m. Monday from an airstrip at hotel magnate Barron Hilton's Flying M Ranch, about 110 kilometres southeast of Reno. It wasn't clear whether anyone else was aboard.
Adventurer Steve Fossett of the U.S. faces the media at Kent International Airport in southern England after making the longest non-stop flight in aviation history in this February 11, 2006 file photo. Fossett, 63, famed for record-breaking solo flights around the world by airplane and balloon, was missing on September 4, 2007,

Adventurer Steve Fossett of the U.S. faces the media at Kent International Airport in southern England after making the longest non-stop flight in aviation history in this Feb. 11, 2006 file photo. Mr. Fossett, 63, famed for record-breaking solo flights around the world by airplane and balloon, was reported missing on Tuesday. (Mike Finn-Kelcey/Reuters files)
The Globe and Mail

A friend reported him missing when he didn't return, authorities said.

Six aircraft were doing grid searches over hundreds of square miles, said Maj. Cynthia S. Ryan of the Civil Air Patrol. The search was being co-ordinated by the Air Force's Rescue Coordination Center at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.

Many of Mr. Fossett's adventures have been financed by U.K. billionaire Sir Richard Branson. A Branson spokesman said Mr. Fossett had been scouting locations for an upcoming attempt to break the land speed record in a car.

“We understand that Steve Fossett was flying solo and he was carrying four full tanks of gas on board,” Paul Charles said. “He was searching for dry and empty lake beds which might be suitable for his plan to break the land speed record.”

Maj. Ryan described the plane as a Bellanca Citabria Super Decathalon, blue and white with orange stripes and blue sunburst designs on the wings. The two-seat tandem “tail dragger” is capable of aerobatic manoeuvres, Maj. Ryan said.

FAA records show the registered owner is Flying M Hunting Club Inc. of Yerington, Nev. The agency certified it Aug. 21, 1980.

A telephone message left for a Peggy Fossett in Beaver Creek, Colo., where Steve Fossett lives, was not immediately returned. Mr. Fossett is married to the former Peggy Viehland of Richmond Heights, Mo.

In 2002, Mr. Fossett became the first person to fly around the world alone in a balloon. In two weeks, his balloon flew 31,085.8 kilometres around the Southern Hemisphere. The record came after five previous attempts — some of them spectacular and frightening failures.

John Kugler, a long-time friend who taught Mr. Fossett ballooning, described Mr. Hilton's ranch as a place where aviation enthusiasts gather for weekends of good food and flying.

Mr. Kugler said Mr. Fossett is a careful, capable flyer and said his aircraft a “safe plane” and held out hope Mr. Fossett would be found alive.

“They're going to find him on a mountainside,” Mr. Kugler said. “He's going to be hungry and want some good food.”

Three years later, in March 2005, he became the first person to fly a plane solo around the world without refuelling.

He and a co-pilot also claim to have set a world glider altitude record of 15,201 metres during a flight in August 2006 over the Andes Mountains.

Mr. Fossett, a Stanford University graduate with a master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis, came to Chicago to work in the securities business and ultimately founded his own firm, Marathon Securities.

Mr. Fossett has climbed some of the world's tallest peaks, including the Matterhorn in Switzerland and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He also swam the English Channel in 1985, placed 47th in the Iditarod dog sled race in 1992 and participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans car race in 1996.

In 1995, Mr. Fossett became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon, landing in Leader, Sask.

Mr. Fossett was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in July. He told a crowd gathered at the Dayton Convention Center in Ohio that he would continue flying.

“I'm hoping you didn't give me this award because you think my career is complete, because I'm not done,” Mr. Fossett said.

Mr. Fossett said he planned to go to Argentina in November in an effort to break a glider record.

Steve Fosset reported missing..

An air search is under way for record-breaking adventurer Steve Fossett, who was last seen Monday morning taking off from a private Nevada airstrip in a small, single-engine aircraft, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The 63-year-old, who in 2002 became the first person to complete a solo circumnavigation of the globe by hot air balloon, was reported missing Monday night by a friend, according to the FAA. Fossett had not filed a flight plan for his Monday morning departure.


Fossett departed in a single-engine Citabria Super Decathlon, Civil Air Patrol spokeswoman Maj. Cynthia S. Ryan told the Record-Courier newspaper of Nevada.

Three crews are in the air looking for Fossett's blue and white aircraft above rural western Nevada, Ryan told the newspaper, and more are en route to help in the search. "We will be launching more shortly," Ryan told the newspaper.

Authorities have some idea where Fossett may have been heading, according to the FAA. The search was being coordinated by the Air Force's Rescue Coordination Center in Langley, Va.

Fossett has set a number of aviation records, including the hot air balloon trip in 2002, a 67-hour around-the-world trip without refueling on the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer in 2005 and the world glider altitude record, which he set with a co-pilot more than 50,000 feet above the Andes Mountains. In July, Fossett's flight accomplishments earned him a place in the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

"I'm hoping you didn't give me this award because you think my career is complete, because I'm not done," Fossett said at the July induction ceremony in San Diego, Calif., adding that he would be in Argentina in November to try to break another glider record.

Fossett, who has also broken more than 20 speed sailing records, also was reportedly in Nevada in August working on a jet racer to try to break the world land speed record.

Richard Branson, president of Virgin Atlantic, which has sponsored some of Fossett's record-breaking attempts, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon about the adventurer's disappearance.

"Steve is a tough old boot," Branson said in the statement. "I suspect he is waiting by his plane right now for someone to pick him up."

Branson acknowledged that the ranch airpstrip from which Fossett took off is located in a vast landscape, but said his friend has overcome more substantial challenges than surviving in the wilderness.

"Based on his track record, I feel confident we'll get some good news soon," Branson said.

Dog comes back.

Heres the dog again, hopefully I can embed the video this time, but check the report at the bottom.



Obviously nothing further from the truth,

Dog hot air balloon lands on road after technical difficulties Ottawa, Canada Two renegade balloons from Canada's Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival came crashing down over the weekend in Ottawa, Canada. Drivers were covered by a dog balloon after it experienced technical difficulties. The other balloon nearly hit the side of an apartment complex before landing safely. No one was hurt in either mishap.

Its from a source, who claim to be,"redefining the media", perhaps that means making up stuff.

Oh dear no other news

Move along no story here.

A hot-air balloon made an emergency landing on an Orange County golf course over the weeken

The balloon pilot maneuvered around several power lines Saturday and landed in a parking lot at Orange County National Golf Course located just northwest of Disney along the Orange-Lake

line.

A Local 6 viewer shot several photos of the balloon after it came down in the parking lot.

There were no serious injuries in connection with the incident.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

Even less of a story here....

A man in Connecticut got a surprise when a hot-air balloon landed right in his backyard!

The balloon went a bit off target Sunday after it bounced off a cliff in Southington. It brushed the roof of a nearby home before landing in this yard.

The homeowner got a bottle of champagne for his inconvenience! There were no serious injuries or any damage.

It is a common tradition among balloonists to have a champagne toast upon landing but in this instance they gave the champagne to the homeowner.

Legend has it that the tradition started with the early french, who carried champagne to appease angry or frightened spectators at the landing site.

Especially if you click through to and see that the dude is sitting quite happily on an open area, looks like the perfect place to land to me.

http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=102579

Hands all those of us that have landed in just such places. Flying in London and Melbourne it has happened to me all the time.

G

Dog tired

Thanks very much to the anonymous poster who pointed me towards this video link for what looks like fairly normal landings near a road. All good stuff for the media though.

Trouble is these days every other person has a digital video/stills camera of some sort that can record unfolding dramas.

The upside of this video report is I now know how to say Gatineau!

http://www.achannel.ca/ottawa/news_47404.aspx

Once again, thanks whoever posted the link.

Two balloons from the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival made an unexpected landing near the OC Transpo transitway Saturday.

Viewer video shows a dog-shaped balloon landing and then another balloon nearly grazing a building as it lands in a field nearby.

Nathalie Brunette, a spokesperson from the Hot Air Balloon Festival, said there was a minor technical difficulty with the dog-shaped balloon, and the pilot was trying to land on the grass.

Brunette said a vent in the balloon wasn't wrapped tightly enough and the pilot had to use more fuel than usual to keep the balloon in the air.

The pilot chose to land for safety reasons.

The envelope of the Maximillian the Beagle balloon landed on the transitway.

A city spokesperson said several OC Transpo buses were detoured off the transitway for 45 minutes while the dog balloon was being removed.

Both balloons will be back up in the air again tomorrow.

Stay tuned to A-Channel for the latest.

Yet another accident in Canada, well maybe.

Sounds like this is a normal flight and landing, but any happenstance in Canada with balloons is going to make the news.

No Injuries in Ottawa Hot Air Balloon Accident
Caroline Franks/Jason McIntyre
Sunday, September 2, 2007

Another hot air balloon accident, this time in the east end of Ottawa where two hot air balloons went down.

Shortly after 7 o'clock yesterday evening, a balloon grazed a second in the shape of a dog.

The beagle deflated quickly and landed on the Transitway near Hurdman Station.

No injuries have been reported.

An O.C. Transpo official says the route is now clear.

The other balloon landed safely nearby.

MSNBC Balloon Safety

Interesting report with suggestion that a fuel hose came loose in Canada

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=049acd9d-2c64-449f-82c8-0222c4dbe3d3&f=34&fg=rss

They fly in Temecula winelands California

Mike Howard Paraglider attempt Ashton Court 2007

Very interesting video here..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXVVG2cS3-k

Sorry that I was not there to see that

Pilot meets survivor of B.C. hot air balloon crash

Last Updated: Thursday, August 30, 2007 | 3:23 PM PT
CBC News
A survivor of a recent fatal hot air balloon crash in Surrey, B.C., met with the pilot on Wednesday and now says she understands why he was unable to help some of the passengers.

Diana Rutledge, who is recovering in the hospital from her injuries, had been critical of Stephen Pennock, the pilot at the helm of the balloon and owner of Fantasy Balloon Charters.

After talking to Pennock, Rutledge said she understood why the pilot couldn't help passengers in the gondola when it caught fire.

Pennock told her he was blown out of the gondola when it exploded, and couldn't get back because of the flames, Rutledge said.

Two passengers, a 49-year-old mother and her 21-year-old daughter, died and 11 others were injured when a fire erupted just before the balloon was to take off Friday. The blazing balloon and gondola then crashed into an RV park.

Rutledge said she is pleased that Pennock paid her a visit but added that she will still pursue legal action if she is not compensated for lost work.

"I need to be compensated because I need to live," she told CBC News Wednesday. Rutledge holds down two jobs as a bartender but doctors told her it will be months before she can put weight on her feet, she said.

Also on Wednesday, Pennock visited the RV park in south Surrey where the flaming balloon landed, destroying several mobile homes and vehicles. No one was hurt at the park. He also paid his respects at a makeshift memorial for the two women killed.

(With files from the Canadian Press)

3d tracking

I have been exerimenting with a very cool method of tracking balloons, or anything come to that.

Works very well. Just use your cellphone, bluetooth gps and GPRS

http://free.3dtracking.net/

Best of all its free. Heres yesterday mornings flight.