Libya Puts Chill on Balloonist’s Global Goal
CHICAGO — Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett swept across the Sahara Desert in his balloon Friday with a world distance record under his belt but with his round-the-world flight jeopardized by Libya’s refusal to let him enter its airspace.
The refusal to allow the 52-year-old Chicago securities trader to fly over Libya forced him into a detour away from the jet stream that would carry his balloon around the globe. And there’s only a remote chance Fossett can pick up the jet stream again, project manager Bo Kemper said.
The detour will add no danger to the flight, Kemper said. Defying Libya, on the other hand, “would not be good for your health--you could be shot down.â€
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