PCA Forums

A skydiver's hope to set a new free-fall record might have come to an end Tuesday when his ride to the sky left without him.

The helium balloon Michel Fournier was going to use to soar to the stratosphere detached from the capsule he was going to use to jump from 130,000 feet (40,000 meters).

It happened after the balloon was inflated on the ground at the airport in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. The balloon drifted away into the sky without the capsule.
The balloon was reported to have cost at least US$200,000 and Fournier was said to have already exhausted his finances. His handlers planned a media briefing.

Fournier, 64, had planned to make the attempt Monday, but had to postpone his plans because of weather conditions.

Attempts in 2002 and 2003 ended when wind gusts shredded his balloon before it even became airborne.

Fournier hoped to break the record for the fastest and longest free fall, the highest parachute jump and the highest balloon flight. He also hoped to bring back data that will help astronauts and others survive in the highest of altitudes.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200805 ... 13RO4.html

bummer. i hope he gets 'nother opportunity,,

That really has to suck... Poor guy. I hope he gets another chance as well..

darcy wrote:bummer. i hope he gets 'nother opportunity,,

Yeah, me too. Maybe some rich dude that is physically unable to jump will pony up the dough as a sponsor.

I look at this in another way. With all the failed attempts, he aint supposed to do it. Someone is trying to tell him something.

4 tries and mothernature has stoped all of them. I think she is trying to tell this old man something.

Thats only a few hours from me.
They had an artical about him in the paper.
Poor guy, funny tho.