High in the sky - Altitude: 10 100 m – new world record

Time: Friday, April 30th, 2004, 5:45 am
Place: Seminar Hotel Hart/Lake Chiemsee
The world record hot-air balloon rises into the early morning sun. The people on board are Charles Kunow of Jonathan-Ballooning and “The Eye”, cameraman Danny Strasser. Below the basket Mike Küng is hanging with his specially packed paraglider

Conditions are perfect. No ground wind, higher up hardly any wind, light cirrus clouds. The hot-air balloon shoots up into the cold morning sky covering 5m per second. The old world record – 9 300m – held by the same team using the same balloon must be beaten. They are sure they can do it as they have got better oxygen equipment than in August 2001 and a better burner.

Reaching an altitude of 8 000m, the hot-air balloon begins steaming. It takes a straight route upwards forming a condensation cloud similar to a trail caused by a jet.. The cloud – much bigger than the balloon – rises faster than the balloon and takes on a life of its own but soon collapses and disappears.

8.000 metres is also the height in which the flight security stopped the record attempt the day before. The tower forced the balloon pilot to go down immediately despite the existing written permission. This new attempt has the full support of the Munich Airport.

There were problems at this altitude two and a half years ago.The burner conked out, the balloon went downwards for some time. Nothing like that happens this time. Without reducing speed, the air pioneers get closer and closer to the stratosphere.

A few hundred meters above the balloon a plane can be seen on its way to Munich. What a fascinating sight.

It takes the crew just 35 minutes to get to an altitude of 10 300 m. The temperature: - 65° Centigrade. Atmospheric pressure is down to 25% of the normal level.

Breathing even with the help of the oxygene mask is most difficult. Suddenly, breathing is almost impossible for Danny Strasser. The tube connecting his mask with the oxygene tank has got – as was found out after they had landed - an enormous hole. The plastic tube probably broke because of the ice. Danny faints and collapses on the balloon floor.

The pilot tries to wake up the cameraman, in vain. Now there is no time to be wasted. Charles makes the balloon drop as fast as possible. He leans over the balloon rail, quickly informs Mike about the situation and asks him to jump.

click -> video Altitude 10 100m: Mike pulls the trigger and falls towards Mother Earth. The paraglider opens with a bang. Because of the extremely thin air, the drop is unbelievably fast and extremely dangerous. Mike flies round the balloon, he keeps close to it though he can’t help his friends in the basket. What a terrible feeling.

Altitude 7 000m:
The cameraman regains consciousness. Fortunately, he is fine.

25 Minutes after he has jumped from the balloon, MadMike lands in a meadow, just 30 km from where they set off. He is happy to be on firm ground again.

Mike is over the moon – a new world record! “That was a close call! We did our very best. Thank God we are all back safe and sound.”

To celebrate the new world record they have a stylish champagne shower ..

Charles Kunow , Danny Strasser and MadMikeKüng

Link: Tiroler Tageszeitung - Online "Mike Küng übertrifft Höhenweltrekord mit Gleitschirm" ...read it !