The Flight of NightStar II
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Debby Young sets new AX5 Feminine Duration of Flight and AX5
Feminine Distance World Records in a flight from Ottumwa IA to near
La Salle, IL.
Duration of Flight - 9 hours 32 minutes and 41 seconds Distance
of Flight - 170 miles approximately (great circle route)
[Link to NightStar
II Narrative]
[Link to NightStar
II Photo Gallery]
On Monday morning, February 26, at sunrise (6:52am CST)
the flight of NightStar II launched from Ottumwa Industrial Airport
in Ottumwa Iowa. Pilot Debby Young flew the tiny AX5 balloon initially
to the northwest. After burning off some fuel and dropping a spent
fuel tank she gained altitude and made a turn toward the east. Debby's
track continued east primarily, turning back to the north each time
she came down to the surface to drop fuel tanks. After 9 and ½ hours
and approximately 170 miles of flight, Debby landed the NightStar
balloon in a stubble cornfield each of La Salle, Illinois. The ground
track of her flight, captured by a GPS unit in the balloon, is depicted
below.
