The 64-year-old Konyukhov emerged from the balloon’s gondola after more than 11 days aloft expressing his appreciation for the smell of the earth, and “how wonderful it is”, according to millionaire businessman and fellow aviator Dick Smith, who was on hand to assist with the landing.
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In completing the epic journey, Konyukhov flew directly over Northam, a feat described as “incredible” by Smith.
Fedor Konyukhov, a Russian Orthodox priest, landed 100 miles east of Northam, where he started his journey on July 12, about three hours after he flew over the same town on his return, flight coordinator John Wallington said.
“He’s landed, he’s safe, he’s sound, he’s happy”, Wallington said from the landing site. “It’s just unbelievable”, flight coordinator John Wallington said at the landing site.
“The record is broken, no question”.
Earlier there was excitement when the balloonist first appeared over the skies of Perth around lunchtime on Saturday and later flew right over Northam airfield from where he had taken off 11 days earlier.
The flight route took Konyukhov from Australia to above New Zealand, across the Pacific Ocean, South America, the Cape of Good Hope and the Southern Ocean.
As he made his way back to Australia, his website reported his comments as a polar jet stream pushed him towards Antarctica.
In one blog entry, he wrote: “It is scary to be so down south and away from civilisation”.
Konyukhov surpassed the previous record for a solo balloon flight around the world, held by American Steve Fossett, who in 2002 took 13 days and eight hours while traveling a route 600 miles shorter.
“This place feels very lonely and remote just a thick layer of cyclonic clouds below me and dark horizon to the east”. “No land, no planes, no ships”, he said at the time.
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Heating inside the balloon stopped functioning on Thursday, two days before the flight ended, forcing Konyukhov to heat his drinking water using the main hot air burner, Wallington told the Associated Press.
