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Airship pilot in Channel attempt Airship's Channel crossing fails
(about 4 hours later)
A French amateur pilot is part of the way across the English Channel in a pedal-propelled airship. A French amateur pilot's attempt to be the first to cross the channel on a pedal-propelled airship has failed.
Stephane Rousson, 39, took off from Hythe on the Kent coast at about 0800 BST and was half-way to the French coast by 1300 BST. Stephane Rousson, 39, from Nice, took off from Hythe on the Kent coast at about 0800 BST and was half-way to the French coast by 1300 BST.
He had been waiting for winds of less than 5mph before he could set off. But he was hampered by a change in the wind direction and called off the trip 11 miles from Wissant in France.
Mr Rousson failed to make the 34-mile (55km) journey in airship Zeppy in June, despite waiting two weeks for the ideal weather conditions. Mr Rousson said: "I'm not disappointed. I feel happy because it had nothing to do with any technical failure."
If he is successful this time, it will be the first such crossing of the Channel.Advertisement During the challenge, Mr Rousson was suspended underneath the balloon envelope in a carbon fibre gondola, powering the two propellers with his feet using a bicycle-like contraption.
Stephane Rousson spoke about his ambitions two weeks ago To have set off is a victory in itself Spokeswoman for Mr Rousson
He had been waiting for more than a week for winds of less than 5mph before he could set off.
Speaking from France, Rousson said: "We were about three-quarters of the way across but the wind was flowing in the wrong direction for me to make it across.
"Unfortunately there was nothing to suggest from the weather forecasts that there was going to be this change in the direction of the wind."
A spokeswoman for Mr Rousson said: "To have set off is a victory in itself. He had to wait for just the right weather conditions but they came at the right time."A spokeswoman for Mr Rousson said: "To have set off is a victory in itself. He had to wait for just the right weather conditions but they came at the right time."
He had hoped to make the crossing in five hours, but the wind changed direction forcing him to rest while waiting for a change. Mr Rousson also failed to make the 34-mile (55km) journey in airship Zeppy in June, despite waiting two weeks for the ideal weather conditions.
During the challenge, Mr Rousson is underneath the balloon envelope in a carbon fibre gondola, powering the two propellers with his feet using a bicycle-like contraption. The venture had been inspired by the Steven Spielberg film ET, he said.
He said the venture had been inspired by the Steven Spielberg film ET. "Ever since I was a kid I have dreamed of flying," he added.
"Ever since I was a kid I have dreamed of flying," he said. Advertisement
Stephane Rousson spoke about his ambitions a week ago