Prominent Russian Adventurer Seeks to Break Two Hot Air Balloon Flight Records in 2017

Posted on December 12, 2016 by LighterThanAirSociety

Source: TASS Russian News Agency – tass.com

Russia’s world-renowned adventurer, Fyodor Konyukhov, plans to break two records in 2017: the hot air balloon flight duration record and the hot air balloon flight altitude record.

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Solar Ship Challenges Lockheed to Airship Race

Posted on December 7, 2016 by LighterThanAirSociety

Source: Flight Global – flightglobal.com

By Beth Stevenson

Solar Ship has challenged Lockheed Martin to an intercontinental race, to pitch the two companies’ airship designs against each other and promote the benefits of using lighter-than-air technology for cargo transport.

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Russian balloonist Fedor Konyukhov awarded FAI – Breitling Pilot of the Year 2016 Award

Posted on December 2, 2016 by LighterThanAirSociety

01Source: Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) – fai.org

A Russian priest who circumnavigated the world in a balloon in record time has been presented the inaugural FAI – Breitling Pilot of the Year Award at a ceremony in Switzerland.

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Lockheed’s Hybrid Airship Gets Launch Customer in Canada

Posted on December 2, 2016 by LighterThanAirSociety

lmh-1-sqSource: Fortune – fortune.com

They can move 20 tons of cargo and land on nearly any flat surface—including sand, snow and water.

The operator of Lockheed Martin’s blimp-like hybrid airships on Wednesday announced its first customer, a Canadian mining company that expects to lease seven of the heavy-lift cargo aircraft for a decade starting in 2019.

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And the 2016 World Hot Air Balloon Champion is…

Posted on December 1, 2016 by LighterThanAirSociety

podiumSource: Fédération Aéronautique Internationale  (FAI) – fai.org

After ten days of competition at the 22nd FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship in Saga, Japan, Rhett Heartsill bested 104 of the world’s best competitors from 31 countries. The competition included nine flights and 31 tasks.

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