Steve Fossett sets world record for airship speed

Link : http://uk.news.yahoo.com/041027/323/f5fci.html

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (AFP) - American adventurer Steve Fossett set a world record by piloting a new generation airship to 111.8 kilometres (69.5 miles) per hour over Lake Constance, the organisers said.

Fossett, 60, beat the previous record held by British pair Jim Dexter and Mike Kendrich, who flew at 92.8 km/h in a "Lightship A60" in January 2000.

"This new model of airship has fascinated me for a while now," Fossett said after breaking the record during a two and a half hour flight.

The 75-metre long (246-foot) airship was built by Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik, the group founded by the late German aviator Ferdinand von Zeppelin.

The record is the latest in a long line of records for Fossett who made the first round-the-world non-stop balloon flight in July 2002 and in April this year broke the round-the-world sailing record.