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On March 21, 1999 at 6 a.m. GMT, the two aeronauts Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones landed the Breitling Orbiter 3 in the Egyptian desert after three weeks of what is now an historic expedition. By completing the first ever nonstop round-the-world flight in a balloon, they had accomplished one of the most remarkable feats of the late 20th century. It was an exploit that earned them seven world records, including the record for the longest and farthest flight in aviation history.
Upon their return, they decided to dedicate their adventure to the children of the world and devote their success to fighting human suffering and forgotten diseases. The Winds of Hope Foundation was thus created on 9/9/1999.
Once the Foundation was created, the next step was determining which causes to support. When the pilots met a young girl being treated in Switzerland for Noma, the decision became obvious. This vision of horror convinced the co-founders that they had found their first cause: Noma, the symbol of little-known diseases that can be fought effectively with basic means.
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It’s hard to understand why we, up here, are so lucky. During these three weeks of flight in the insulated environment of our capsule, there was no end to the suffering for many of the inhabitants of this planet; a planet that had nevertheless filled us with such wonder. We must surely do something to relieve some of this poverty, and the fame we are headed towards should serve exactly this purpose.” Excerpt from the travel log of the Breitling Orbiter 3 
For more information the the non-stop flight, please visit:
Piccard: www.bertrandpiccard.com
Brian Jones: www.orbiterballoon.com
Fédération aéronotique Internationale: www.fai.org |
