On this day in 1978, three Americans (Ben Abruzzo, Larry Newman and Max Anderson) become the first people to successfully cross the Atlantic Ocean in a hot air balloon. The flight from Maine to France took six days, and was not the first attempt for two of the three men. Ben Abruzzo and Max Anderson had previously attempted to complete the crossing, and failed in their attempt, in a balloon named the Double Eagle. The second and much more successful attempt was completed with a balloon named the Double Eagle II.
Officially, the trans-Atlantic flight was deemed a success at approximately 10pm on August 16th, when the Double Eagle II flew over the coast of Ireland. However, not content with just reaching Ireland, the three pilots aimed to touch down near Paris, at le Bourget airfield. This was the place where aviator Charles Lindbergh had once landed, after making the first solo, non-stop trans-Atlantic flight in May 1927.
Windy conditions over France caused issues with the dream however, and the balloon instead touched down in a field near Miserey, about 60miles north west of Paris. This change did not dampen the enthusiasm of passers-by, and those more actively following the balloon’s progress, as there were plenty around to congratulate the three Americans after their landing.
To highlight the enormity of Abruzzo, Anderson and Newman’s successful flight, it is worth noting that previous attempts had of course been made. Before the Double Eagle II, the challenge had been undertaken on almost twenty occasions, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of seven individuals involved in those earlier efforts.
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