from Steve Fossett

	NORTHAM now appears in the annals of aviation history and will also always hold a special place in my heart.
	I set the goal of making the first Round the World Balloon Flight Solo in 1993. In part it was to earn a place in aviation history and now the Bud Light Spirit of Freedom capsule is on permanent display in Washington DC at the Smithsonian Institute's National Air & Space Museum - the world's most popular museum.
The First Solo circumnavigation was extraordinarily difficult. It took six attempts over a span of eight years and tested all of my abilities and all of my experience. I had to apply myself completely and even at times risk my life. The final success was especially fulfilling. Northam played a special part in my great quest. First with my successful launch from the town's airfield in August 2001 - a bid which unfortunately ended when I was forced down in Brazil by bad weather. And then again in 2002, when I made a rare daytime lift-off and had my last look at Northam. It was a stunning site. I would like to record a special thanks to the people of Northam - particularly the members of the local Aero Club, Windward Balloon Adventures and the Town of Northam with the support of the WA Government - for their great support and for the big effort everybody put in to making the 2002 launch a special event for spectators. My return to Australia was governed by the winds. I would loved to have touched down in WA near Northam but the weather gods ruled otherwise. The balloon crossed Northam's 117 degrees East line of longitude over the Southern Ocean at night on July 2, 2002 to officially complete the circumnavigation and go into the record books. Eventually I bounced down (literally) in Outback Queensland, near Birdsville, on July 4. I am also pleased that Northam can rightfully stake its claim to having made an important contribution to my success. This was my final distance balloon flight. However, I am among the dreamers but unlike Walter Mitty I am acting on my own dreams. Now I'm proceeding on the stratospheric glider project and other exciting projects.
Steve Fossett