Double Eagle (balloon)

Double Eagle was a helium balloon piloted by Ben Abruzzo and Maxie Anderson in a failed attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1977. It was the eleventh recorded attempt to make the crossing, which had been an open challenge in ballooning for more than a century.[1] The balloon launched from Marshfield, Massachusetts on September 9. After being blown off course by stormy weather, the team was forced to ditch three miles off the coast of Iceland on September 12, 65½ hours after taking off.[2] Abruzzo and Anderson, along with Larry Newman, went on to complete the first successful Atlantic crossing the following year aboard Double Eagle II.

Double Eagle was designed by Ed Yost and had a 101,000 cubic foot (2,860 cubic meter) envelope. Abruzzo and Anderson rode in an insulated open gondola measuring 6 by 6.5 feet (1.8 by 2 meters) which was later reused for Double Eagle II.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Abruzzo, Ben L. (December 1978). ""Double Eagle II" has landed!". National Geographic. 154 (6): 858–882.
  2. 1 2 McCarry, Charles (1979). Double Eagle. Little, Brown. ISBN 0-316-55360-3.
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