<P> In 2002 , he became the first person to fly around the world alone , nonstop in any kind of aircraft . He launched the 10 - story high balloon Spirit of Freedom from Northam , Western Australia on June 19 , 2002 and returned to Australia on July 3 , 2002 , subsequently landing in Queensland . Duration and distance of this solo balloon flight was 13 days , 8 hours , 33 minutes ( 14 days 19 hours 50 minutes to landing ) , 20,626.48 statute miles ( 33,195.10 km ) . The balloon dragged him along the ground for 20 minutes at the end of the flight . Only the capsule survived the landing ; it was taken to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington , D.C. , where it was displayed . The control center for the mission was in Brookings Hall at Washington University in St. Louis . Fossett 's top speed during the flight was 186 miles per hour ( 299 km / h ) over the Indian Ocean . The trip set a number of records for ballooning : Fastest ( 200 miles per hour ( 320 km / h ) , breaking his own previous record of 166 miles per hour ( 270 km / h ) ) , Fastest Around the World ( 13.5 days ) , Longest Distance Flown Solo in a Balloon ( 20,482.26 miles ( 32,963.00 km ) ) , and 24 - Hour Balloon Distance ( 3,186.80 miles ( 5,128.66 km ) on July 1 ) . </P>
<P> In 2002 , he became the first person to fly around the world alone , nonstop in any kind of aircraft . He launched the 10 - story high balloon Spirit of Freedom from Northam , Western Australia on June 19 , 2002 and returned to Australia on July 3 , 2002 , subsequently landing in Queensland . Duration and distance of this solo balloon flight was 13 days , 8 hours , 33 minutes ( 14 days 19 hours 50 minutes to landing ) , 20,626.48 statute miles ( 33,195.10 km ) . The balloon dragged him along the ground for 20 minutes at the end of the flight . Only the capsule survived the landing ; it was taken to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington , D.C. , where it was displayed . The control center for the mission was in Brookings Hall at Washington University in St. Louis . Fossett 's top speed during the flight was 186 miles per hour ( 299 km / h ) over the Indian Ocean . The trip set a number of records for ballooning : Fastest ( 200 miles per hour ( 320 km / h ) , breaking his own previous record of 166 miles per hour ( 270 km / h ) ) , Fastest Around the World ( 13.5 days ) , Longest Distance Flown Solo in a Balloon ( 20,482.26 miles ( 32,963.00 km ) ) , and 24 - Hour Balloon Distance ( 3,186.80 miles ( 5,128.66 km ) on July 1 ) . </P>
when was the first around the world flight completed in a hot air balloon
when was the first around the world flight completed in a hot air balloon
July 3 , 2002
July 3 , 2002