Man, 50, flies tiny balloon over Atlantic

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, July 3 (UPI) -- A 50-year-old man began the adventure of a lifetime Tuesday, trying to fly an undersized hot-air balloon across the Atlantic Ocean from Canada to England.

David Hempleman-Adams, who lives in Box, Wiltshire, launched his "ultra basic" helium balloon at 1 a.m. from St John's in Newfoundland, Canada, The Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday.

Hempleman-Adams hopes to complete the Toshiba Transatlantic Challenge and land in southern England or northern France in four days, even though he has no way of steering the craft.

With a balloon about the size of a "front room" and a six-foot wicker basket, this vessel is the smallest of its kind ever used in such a challenge.

If he succeeds, he will set a world record for the longest distance flight in a helium balloon.

In 1998, Hempleman-Adams became the first person to reach the geographic and magnetic North and South Poles, as well as to climb the highest peaks in all seven continents.

He also holds a number of other ballooning records.

"The first 12 hours are critical and so far everything is going exactly to plan," Toshiba flight director Clive Bailey told the British newspaper.