I was never comfortable with the risk of climbing in the Himalayas, or the amount of time in idleness that is involved in the Everest expedition.

The good thing about flying solo is it's never boring.

Flying solo, you have a fair workload. I'm not only flying the balloon but doing the navigation, communications, repairing the burners, taking care of the equipment.

People often assume I assume I am a thrill seeker, but I am not. I do not enjoy roller coasters, and you won't find me bungee-jumping. ... It is a disadvantage that my pursuits are inherently dangerous. A large part of my effort is to reduce risk.

Mountain climbing was my original sport ... and I've never tired from the satisfaction of getting to the top of a mountain.

I do have some books, but in all the distance flights I've made I've never opened the books. I've been too busy.

This is a Solo Flight, but I want aviation enthusiasts and adventurers everywhere to join me in the endeavour.

A hot air balloon requires a great deal of fuel to keep it aloft, so that you can't fly it even for one day. A gas balloon, which usually uses helium, has the problem that the helium cools at night when the sun is not on it, and you have to throw ballast overboard to keep it from going to the surface.