ACROSS THE SEA

The helium-filled Double Eagle II, the first balloon ever to cross the Atlantic, launched from Presque Isle and landed in Miserey, France, on August 17, 1978.

In 1984, Joe W. Kittinger left Caribou in his helium-filled balloon, Rosie O’Grady’s Balloon of Peace, and completed the first solo trans-atlantic balloon flight, landing in Savona, Italy.

Richard Branson and Per Lindstand made the first successful hot-air balloon transatlantic crossing in 1987 in their Virgin Atlantic Flyer, launching from Sugarloaf Mountain and flying to Ireland.

HELPFUL SITES

• crownofmaineballoonfest.org

• greatfallsballoonfestival.org

• hotfunballoons.com

• maineballooning.com