Flying Solo

Sun., Feb. 27, 2000

Balloonist Kevin Uliassi, 36, descended nearly 10,000 feet over the mid-Atlantic early Saturday to get on course in his effort to make the first solo hot air balloon trip around the world. He dropped his balloon from 24,000 feet to 14,800 feet to avoid an air current that would take him too far south. Flying at 51 mph, Uliassi later ascended to 25,500 feet and was about 1,600 miles west of Africa, near the Tropic of Cancer. The Arizona engineer and architect has traveled more than 4,100 miles since leaving Tuesday from Illinois. He hopes to reach Mauritania on the African coast by Monday and complete the journey in 14 to 20 days.

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Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
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Flying Solo

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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