Project Objectives

Adventure of the Heart's project goals for 2008 are: 1) to enhance public awareness of heart research and science education; 2) to improve on the performance of flights in 2006 and 2007.

Rich Jaworski's science and engineering background, along with a family history of heart disease, have led him to take a strong interest in raising funds for heart disease research in Nebraska and Iowa.  The American Heart Association currently funds $2.7 million dollars in biomedical research in four Nebraska hospitals, including the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska-Kearney, and Creighton University Medical Center.  American Heart Association-funded research has led to life-saving advances including CPR, heart-lung machines, stents and pacemakers, to name but a few.

The Balloon

The Adventure of the Heart envelope has a volume of less than 32,000 cubic feet.  By comparison, the balloons typically flown by sport pilots have volumes of 77,000 cubic feet, carry two or three passengers, and are in the AX-7 class. Balloons carrying up to 12 passengers are flown in resort areas, have volumes of 180,000 cubic feet or more, and are an AX-10 or larger class.

On February 18, 2006, Rich Jaworski bettered the old AX-4 category record for Flight Duration Aloft of 8 hours 39 minutes, set by Dr. Coy Foster on March 20, 1986.  Rich's flight of 13 hours, 12 minutes also surpassed the record in the next-larger AX-5 category of 12 hours 21 minutes, set by Bill Cloninger on October 2, 2001. 

On February 4-5, 2007, Rich set a new world record mark in the AX-4 category with a flight of 23 hours, 11 minutes, and once again also bettered the AX-5 record (set by Adventure of the Heart in February 2006).

Balloon system improvements utilized by Adventure of the Heart include:

  • A highly efficient balloon envelope – reducing heat loss and improving fuel economy;
  • Light weight envelope fabrics and cold weather protection clothing for the pilot;
  • Redundant burner configuration with precision machined fuel nozzles to optimize fuel utilization;
  • Utilization of cold weather conditions; flight equipment designed and prepared for temperatures of -40°F;
  • Computer modeling of flight parameters.

    • Project Schedule:


      February 18, 2006

    		 13 hour 12 minute training flight launched from Blair, Nebraska to learn more about the fuel consumption and flight characteristics of the aircraft.
    Results: Set 2 world duration records (AX-4 and AX-5 categories).
    (See Adventure of the Heart's 2006 site.)
      December 2006 Practice inflation of Adventure of the Heart.  The purpose of these practice sessions is to gain experience in putting the system together, cold inflating, hot inflating, and lifting the envelope, the burner, then Rich, then the empty tanks off the ground.
    (See photos here.)

      February 4-5, 2007

    		 23 hour 11 minute 22 second flight from Grand Forks, ND to Page, ND (distance flown: 112 miles) besting the previous AX-4 and AX-5 records by 10 hours.
    (See Adventure of the Heart's 2007 site.)

      Jan - Mar, 2008

    		 Record Improvement Flight to be made from northern location when conditions provide temperatures below -10°F and winds of less than 5 mph.

    World Aviation Records Information

    Oversight and registry of aviation world records is maintained by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale located in Lausanne, Switzerland.  Outstanding aviation feats are witnessed, evaluated, and recorded for aero sports which include spacecraft, land planes, seaplanes, balloons, airships, gliders, hang gliders, parachutes, and human powered aircraft, to name a few.

    In hot air balloons, world records are maintained for the 15 sizes, according to envelope volume, for accomplishments of distance, altitude, and duration.

    Aspirants challenging a world record must first obtain a sporting license to be a record challenger from their national governing air sports authority. In the United States, this authority is the National Aeronautics Association.

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