Operation S.H.A.R.E
(Southern Hemisphere Atmospheric Research Expedition)
John R. Petrehn, Pilot
1934 - 1990
John R.
Petrehn, Hot Air Balloon Pilot, World Record Holder
1934 – 1990
“Anything one man can imagine, another man can make real.” Jules
Verne, 1863 … now, more than a hundred years later, Jules Verne’s
dream of a grand balloon adventure has become a reality… This was
also my father, John Petrehn’s dream. Being from a family of
eleven children is usually an adventure in itself, but make the ratio
nine males to two females, with interesting parents, add hot air
balloons and it has been a never-ending story. As children, we
joked that our dad was full of hot air, but as we witnessed his first
balloon flight that spring day in Kansas, somehow I sensed that we were
closer to the truth than we realized.
Back in 1994, when Steve Fossett began his quest to fly solo around the
world, I had the opportunity to have dinner with him and Per Lindstrand
(who was also pursuing an around the world record) at the home of Tom
and Lesley (now Pritchard) Davies’ in Edwards Colorado. The
discussion for the evening at several points turned to my father, John
Petrehn and his Operation S.H.A.R.E., my father’s own quest to
fly around the world. Both Steve and Per were interested in what
had become of his capsule, his thermoelectric heat system and his
project in general.
Dad's quest really began with his first balloon flight in Topeka,
Kansas with his best friend Chuck Tantillo in 1974. He purchased
his first balloon Charlie Brown shortly after that flight. Thus, began
his passion for hot air ballooning. That continued until his
death in March of 1990, he spent his life setting records and pursuing
his dream to Fly Around The World in a Balloon.
At first his balloons were used for tether operations to promote his
lighting company. After obtaining his pilot license he purchased his
“famous flying lightbulb”. He began showing off light systems,
flying his Light Bulb at night, “Flying at night requires that
instead of going with the wind, you have to find out where the wind is
going.” (John Petrehn) To learn more about the winds, he
contacted the National Severe Storms Forecasting Center in Kansas City
and was put in touch with Mr. Paul Hammett, a winds aloft expert for
NOAA. Paul went for a balloon ride with John and the experience
of actually flying a balloon was pleasantly overwhelming. He joined dad’s
team in 1980 and taught him about winds and weather.
Recently, our family was asked to participate in a parade in
conjunction with a touring Smithsonian exhibit “Yesterday’s Tomorrows”
in Middletown, Illinois, the town that dad landed in setting 5 world
hot air balloon records. I spent Father’s Day with my mother as
we poured through files, boxes of paper, memories and photographs as we
put together a display for the Middletown event. I was able to put together the information and events for this story.
"Our first successful world record came using standard technology,
meaning open wicker baskets and aluminum tanks in 1982, when we
bettered Julian Nott's AX6 duration record of 12 hours, 20 minutes with
a new record of 13 hours, 24 minutes in a flight from Prior Lake,
Minnesota to Richland Center, Wisconsin. For this effort we were
awarded The Harmon International Air Trophy." (John Petrehn) Thirteen
hours and 24 minutes today does not seem like much but it was done with
standard equipment no GPS, no cell phones and still beats most long
jump records.
In 1984 with new technology that he developed and received letters of
Patent, with his specially constructed Kevlar "Flying Bagel" he flew
from Huron, South Dakota and landed in Middletown, Illinois. 530 miles
in 24 hours and 12 minutes. In his Flying Lightbulb he set 5 world
records in distance and duration and in 1985 was awarded the
Montgolfier Diploma, the world’s highest honor for a balloonist
for this achievement.
Nearing the end of his flight, John chose to land in Middletown because
of the flat terrain, the fading light and he was near the end of his
fuel supply. After landing, he walked to the road and was picked up by
local Grant LaForge a Middletown hog farmer. The Logan County
Sheriff’s department also received a call of a possible balloon down
approx one mile north of Middletown. It was a coincidence that
Middletown is also the location of the first transcontinental air mail
flight in October of 1911 and in 1926 Charles Lindbergh landed in
Middletown on his way to Springfield, IL.
With these two flights, he raised over $10,000.00 for charities and it
evolved into his quest to fly around the world. From the
publicity he received, he was contacted and purchased 21 crates of
government surplus plastic weather balloons. Intending to cut
them up for windscreens, he found some of the largest and strongest
balloons that had ever been built. He began exploring how they
could be used and began to think he could do an Antarctic
expedition. After a visit to NCAR in Boulder he began to study
the prospects of the first non-stop, un-refueled balloon flight around
the world.
John spent the next few years researching wind and weather patterns and
the NASA “Ghost Project” where some 380 weather balloons had
successfully circled the Southern Hemisphere and been completely
recovered. He spent a year evaluating the criteria for such a
flight, the logistics of transporting the team, the equipment and fuel,
tying in scientific research and his charitable causes and he began
Operation S.H.A.R.E (Southern Hemisphere Atmospheric Research
Expedition).
Beginning with building a pressurized custom gondola from a seamless
high-density polyethylene shell, fitted with survival buoy bag for
landing. His life support system included a newly developed
thermoelectric generator that would include a heat exchanger to
maintain cabin pressure and temperature. The balloon system was
to be a dual gas and hot air balloon in a tandem configuration with
dual fuel tanks mounted below the gondola made of the same
polyethylene. “The plan was to track an orbit at approximately
the 45th latitude south, a distance of 17,545 miles which is more than
sufficient to meet the requirements for a circumnavigation flight.
(John Petrehn)
It was to be a fourteen-day voyage around the world. The original
plan was to launch from Perth, Australia.
John obtained a 240,000 cu ft hot air balloon made by Colt, added a
75th year of Naval Aviation Logo and did promotional flights, including
a 1986 flight at the Washington Memorial in DC. Dad was a
promoter and a salesman he pursued and received all sorts of support
and sponsorship. He chose retired Air Force Colonel Rowland Smith
as his co-pilot.
Together they were able to have the project declared “Of National
Interest” and in March of 1987, with two C141 Starlifter cargo planes,
they loaded up 12,000 pounds of equipment, 24 team members and 325 cu
ft of helium and flew to Argentina. For this non-profit,
scientific expedition, they were graciously offered by the government
of Argentina, the use of an air force base in Mendoza.
So what ever happened? To this day, I regret that I was not able
to go along on the expedition. It was exciting and I was nervous
at the thought of what was really about to happen I stayed in touch
with the project headquarters in Kansas City. In Mendoza, while
filling the gas balloon, the wind gusted and they developed a tear near
the top of the envelope. With only enough helium to fill the
balloon one time, they were unable to launch. Disappointed, John
stayed in Mendoza for several weeks doing logistics ad planning for a
return trip, planning to try again in 1990 or 1991. Later, Steve
Fossett flew from that same location and several of John’s team
assisted with his flight.
I spent several days with dad the following summer, helping him to plan
the actual launch sequence, filming and photographing the models that
he had set up. His enthusiasm never waned and he could not wait
to go back and try again.
Unfortunately, he had a sudden and fatal heart attack on March 3, 1990.
The month before, he had hit a hole in one while golfing. That summer
he had made the “cut” at BFA Balloon Nationals in Baton Rouge. He
had a successful life and left us knowing that he had attempted to live
his dream and the dreams of men for hundreds of years. He had much to
be proud of and he did have a grand balloon adventure after all.
As the hawks circled overhead at the cemetery that rainy afternoon, I
knew he was up there soaring around the world.
(For use with permission of the Petrehn Family – all rights reserved –
Cindy Petrehn 2007)
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 Around
The World Concept |
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 Montgolfier Diploma |
 The Petrehn Family and the Flying Lightbulb To date, 6 of the 11 Petrehn Children are |
 The Flying
Lightbulb |
 The Flying Bagel Patented Kevlar Fuel System |
 News clippings |
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 News
clippings |
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You are the please email: hotairballoonphotos@gmail.com |
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