Joe W. Kittinger in 1984 Became the First Person to Cross the Atlantic in a Hot-air Balloon

Joe W. Kittinger became the first person to cross the Atlantic in a hot-air balloon. He left Caribou, Maine, on September 14, 1984, and landed near Capbreton, France, on September 17, 1984. He broke his ankle when he was thrown from the gondola during the stormy landing. The 3,535-mile trip also established a new record for solo distance. Children could view a timeline of hot-air balloon flights at: Hot-Air Balloon Flights.