WHO:

Dean Antanakes, Craig Brooks, John Donovan,
Bob Goldman, Jon Hall, Steve McCarn, Marc Richer,
Tammy Nadeau, Bruce Therrien, Kevin Walsh.

WHAT:

Assemble a balloon-craft that will take a parachutist to safe altitude, enjoy the ride, dis-engage, and parachute safely back to earth.

WHEN:

January 1st, 1984 (Test craft November 19, 1983)

WHERE:

Minuteman Airport, Stow MA. (Test craft Sandwich, NH)

WHY:

There were three reasons why I wanted to do this:

1. Childhood Dream. When I was eight years old I saw the short French Film : The Red Balloon by Albert Lamorisse. What eight year-old didn’t dream of holding on to those balloons and flying over Paris?
2. Add to that, 500 parachute jumps and a desire to do a unique, never been done before Parachute Jump…and…
3. I wanted to do something fun on the first day of 1984 to mark George Orwell’s famous book, 1984.
   I wanted to get a smile out of a few Americans when they heard what we did.

HOW:

Now that part of the story will take a long time to tell…