How 3 Americans Made History in an Air Balloon

This week in history: Setting a world record

"A Balloon in Mid-Air," 1875, by Jules Tavernier. Oil on canvas. Private collection. (Public Domain)

As their helium-filled balloon, Double Eagle, descended rapidly toward the frigid waters off the coast of Iceland, Ben Abruzzo and Maxie Anderson appeared doomed to meet the same tragic end as the five balloonists before them. It was September 1977. The pair had been in the air for 66 hours and had covered nearly 3,000 miles. Since 1783, there had been 13 attempts that failed to make the transatlantic crossing via balloon. Abruzzo and Anderson’s latest attempt found them bobbing up and down on the surface of the Atlantic, working to keep their canopy afloat and trying unsuccessfully to stave off frostbite.

Unlike some of those previous attempts, Abruzzo and Anderson had the capability to radio for help. Soon a rescue helicopter could be heard in the distance. The two returned to the United States to recover, and then began making plans for a 15th attempt.

Another Try

A 1978 photograph of the Double Eagle II crew (L–R) Larry Newman, Ben Abruzzo, and Maxie Anderson. San Diego Air and Space Museum. (Public Domain)

As August 1978 approached, Abruzzo and Anderson headed back to their starting point along the northeast tip of the country. This time, they brought along Larry Newman, an accomplished and experienced pilot and balloonist. On Aug. 11, the three climbed into the canopy of the Double Eagle II with the black and silver 11-story-tall helium-filled balloon in full bloom. The balloon, and the one before it, was named in honor of their aviation hero, Charles Lindbergh, known as the Lone Eagle. Their destination, much like Lindbergh’s in 1927, was Paris.

In fact, the French-American balloon connection ventures back deep into U.S. history. Jean-Pierre Blanchard, the French inventor and aeronaut, made the first balloon flight in America from Philadelphia to Gloucester County, New Jersey, on Jan. 9, 1793. George Washington was actually in attendance to view the balloon’s launch.

As people gathered in Presque Isle, Maine, the three balloonists said their goodbyes to friends and family, then lifted off. The flight would cross the Atlantic Ocean over the course of nearly a week. Alternating with rest, the three stayed focused on their surroundings and their equipment, specifically the altimeter, which measures the balloon’s altitude. Their diet was hot dogs and canned sardines, and a consistent dose of excitement and adrenaline.

Those first four days were smooth floating. On the fifth day as they neared the Irish coast, floating at approximately 20,000 feet, they were hit with turbulent weather. It seemed to be a repeat of Abruzzo and Anderson’s 1977 attempt.

As the atmospheric pressure continued to change, the balloon lost altitude, dropping quickly from 20,000 feet to a precarious 4,000 feet. The three pilots began tossing over anything they didn’t need. The group had to lighten their load before they crashed into the ocean. Slowly but surely, the balloon began to rise and they finally reached a safe altitude.

Floating to History

The Double Eagle II ascending over Presque Isle, Maine, attempting to cross the Atlantic. (Public Domain)

During the final leg of the adventure, as they floated past the southern part of England, a small plane came by. Its passengers were the wives of the three men. As they blew kisses to each other, the plane zoomed on to meet them at their destination.

They had hoped to land at Le Bourget Field, where Lindbergh had landed, but they had been blown slightly off course and had to make do with landing in a wheat field just 50 miles west of the City of Lights. When they finally made landfall this week in history, on Aug. 17, 1978, the three had broken the duration and distance records for balloon flight at 137 hours and 6 minutes and 3,120 miles.

More History Making

Abruzzo, Anderson, and Newman were all from Albuquerque, N.M., so the gondola of the Double Eagle II was named “Spirit of Albuquerque.” (Alan Wilson/CC BY-SA 2.0)

The three, however, were not done setting records and making history. Two years later in 1980, Anderson and his son, Kristian, in their balloon named Kitty Hawk, became the first to balloon across the American continent. Anderson also was the first to at least attempt an around-the-world flight. His balloon for that attempt was named Jules Verne, in honor of the author of the classic novel “Around the World in 80 Days.”

For Abruzzo and Newman, in 1981 they would take their 13-story-tall Double Eagle V with several others, including Ron Clark and Rocky Aoki, to cross the Pacific Ocean from Nagashami, Japan, to Mendocino National Forest in California. Though it took about half the time―84 hours and 31 minutes―it set a new distance record of 5,768 miles.

Tragically, both Anderson and Abruzzo were killed in flying accidents. In 1983, Anderson was killed during a balloon race in France when the balloon’s equipment malfunctioned and he, along with his co-pilot Don Ida, attempted to make a crash landing in order to avoid flying into communist East Germany. In 1985, Abruzzo died along with his wife in a plane accident. The Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was named in their honor. Each year, the museum hosts the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta where approximately 500 multicolored hot-air balloons float throughout the city and surrounding areas.

Interestingly, Richard Abruzzo, following in his father’s footsteps, with balloonist Troy Bradley, set a new duration record of 144 hours and 16 minutes by flying from Bangor, Maine, to Morocco.

The 2007 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, in Albuquerque, N.M. (a4gpa/CC BY-SA 2.0)