Libya Gives Balloonist Belated OK for Overflight
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CHICAGO — Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett finally got permission Friday to fly over Libya but his crew said the delay could still jeopardize his round-the-world balloon flight.
The 52-year-old Chicago securities trader had been forced to decrease altitude to avoid Libya during the negotiations, losing speed and wasting fuel.
As he crossed Niger on Friday, his crew said the delay may have hurt his chances of becoming the first balloonist to circle the globe nonstop. “It’s not out,” said ground crew member Bo Kemper.
“It’s greatly diminished.” Fossett had hoped to ride powerful jet stream winds across the Libyan desert into Egypt and from there across Asia.
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