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Video: Skywriting with Joe Kittinger

By General Aviation News Staff · December 17, 2019 ·

The Fox 35 channel in Orlando, Florida, recently posted a new video to YouTube featuring aviation legend Joe Kittinger as he shows off his skywriting skills in Central Florida. Joe told the reporter skywriting is “kind of a rare art,” but he loves doing it.

Some of the records Joe holds includes:

  • Highest Parachute Jump – 102,800′ August 16, 1960
  • Longest Parachute Freefall – 4 min. 36 sec. August 16, 1960
  • Most High Altitude Balloon Flights, 5 times. Man High I, 96,000′; Excelsior I, 76,000′.; Excelsior II, 75,000′.; Excelsior III, 102,800′; and Stargazer, 86,000′.
  • Longest distance flown in a 1,000 cubic meter helium balloon. 2,001 miles in 72 hours. Nov. 15-18, 1983.
  • Solo flight from Las Vegas to Franklinville, NY. Longest distance flown in a 3,000 cubic meter helium balloon. 3,543 miles in 86 hours. Sept. 14-18, 1984.
  • First-person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in a helium balloon. Maine to Italy. Sept. 14-18, 1984.
  • NAA Speed Record – Piper Cheyenne 400 LS – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Orlando, Florida. 1986.

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