Konyukhov Balloon Flight, 2016 (11 mins)

Short video showing Dick Smith assisting Russian adventurer Fedor Konyukhov with his 2016 record-breaking circumnavigation of the Earth in a Roziere balloon – completed in just over 11 days.

Dick, who had assisted Fedor on one of his first adventures (a solo sail around the world), was with Fedor at both take off in Northam, Western Australia, and the landing in Bonnie Rock, Western Australia.

The footage of the landing was recorded by Dick as he ran towards the balloon. Dick was beckoning for people to attach the trail rope to a motor vehicle, to stop the balloon from continuing it’s dangerous slide across the landscape towards trees.

Watch out for the part where one of the gas cylinders ejects dangerous, volatile liquid gas which could have easily caught alight – luckily it didn’t. (11 mins)