In 1995 the International Aeronautic Federation created a program to recognize defined flight achievements by balloon pilots. I realized that I had completed all but one of these -- a flight to 9,000 meters (about 30,000 feet) above sea level. I decided to make such a flight. In May 1995 I ascended to 30,840 feet above sea level, where I was above almost three quarters of the earth's atmosphere, and became just the second person in the world to complete all the defined flights.

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