More records for Fossett

American adventurer takes to the skies of south America

Brilliantly exploiting the mountain wave in the lee of the Andes range, the Kiwi-American team of Terry Delore and Steve Fossett this weekend put up an outstanding new glider world record for Out and Return Distance of 2002.44km (pending FAI ratification), adding nearly 300km to the previous mark of 1715.5km set in December 2002 by German Klaus Ohlmann, the world's most dominant distance glider pilot.

Delore and Fossett are among the world's top glider pilots gathered for the Argentine summer season which runs through January - and have laid down an impressive new benchmark.

Klaus Ohlmann also set out at daybreak on Friday, trying to improve his old record to 2000km. He chose to fly south from the Argentine resort town of San Martin de los Andes. The team of Delore and Fossett opted to fly North from the Patagonian village of Esquel. Their northern Out and Return route proved to be the better course that day, with current record-holder Ohlmann unable to regain his start point, landing for the night at Esquel. Thus, the German was on hand to congratulate Delore and Fossett Saturday morning. A third glider piloted by Dieter Memmert also tried the southern route, but he too was unable to make it back to his start point. Other top glider pilots for the 2003-4 Argentine season include German Manfred Albrecht - already flying - Italian Jean-Marie Clement and American Philippe Autheil - both expected to arrive shortly.

In the Open Class of highest performance gliders there are only 17 recognised World Records - six for distance, nine for speed, and two for altitude.

Delore and Fossett's big day in the sky captured a total of three world records. In addition to the outright Out and Return distance mark, they also established a new 'Out and Return Distance to a Pre-declared Goal' Record at 1804.7 Km - plus a new Speed Record for 1500km (av speed of 156.61km/h), breaking previous records by Ohlmann of 1708.4km and 136.82km/h, respectively. Subject to ratification by the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale), the team of Delore and Fossett now hold two of the distance records and four of the speed records. Terry Delore also holds a fifth speed record - 300 Km Triangle - set before he teamed up with Steve Fossett one year ago.

Targeting to fly higher - as well as farther and faster - in gliders, Fossett is also aiming for the daunting Glider World Altitude Record (14,938m - 49,009ft set 17 years ago by American Bob Harris) having made four unsuccessful attempts so far in the USA and New Zealand in 2002 and 2003 with co-pilot Einar Enevoldson (USA) in their 'Perlan Project' research glider. Steve and the 'Perlan' team return to New Zealand in June of 2004 for another try at this enduring record.