Richard Abruzzo (May 19, 1963 – c. September 29, 2010) was a champion American

balloonist In aeronautics, a balloon is an unpowered aerostat, which remains aloft or floats due to its buoyancy. A balloon may be free, moving with the wind, or tethered to a fixed point. It is distinct from an airship, which is a powered aerostat that ...

who with Carol Rymer Davis won the 2003 America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race and the 2004 Gordon Bennett Cup.

Background

Abruzzo was born on May 19, 1963, to

Ben Abruzzo Benjamin L. "Ben" Abruzzo (June 9, 1930 – February 11, 1985) was an American balloonist and businessman who helped make Albuquerque, New Mexico, into an international ballooning center. He was part of the balloon crews that made the first ...

and Patricia Ann "Pat" Steen Abruzzo. In his home town of Albuquerque, New Mexico, his business enterprises included real estate and ski lifts. The ballooning accomplishments of his father Ben, who was part of the balloon crews to first cross the Atlantic ocean in the

Double Eagle II ''Double Eagle II'', piloted by Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman, became the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean when it landed 17 August 1978 in Miserey near Paris, 137 hours 6 minutes after leaving Presque Isle, Maine. It ...

and the Pacific ocean in the Double Eagle V, encouraged Richard's lifetime of balloon accomplishments. In 1992 Richard flew the first gas balloon from North America to Africa breaking the distance record previously held by his father. He was a five time champion in the America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race winning in 1995, 1997, 2002, 2003, and 2004. The

National Aeronautic Association The National Aeronautic Association of the United States (NAA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and a founding member of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). Founded in 1905, it is the oldest national aviation club in the Uni ...

awarded Richard Abruzzo the

Harmon Trophy The Harmon Trophy is a set of three international trophies, to be awarded annually to the world's outstanding aviator, aviatrix, and aeronaut (balloon or dirigible). A fourth trophy, the "National Trophy," was awarded from 1926 through 1938 to th ...

as the year's outstanding

aeronaut Aeronautics is the science or art involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of air flight–capable machines, and the techniques of operating aircraft and rockets within the atmosphere. The British Royal Aeronautical Society identifie ...

in 2001, 2003, and 2005. The 2001 Harmon Trophy was for the longest solo flight from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to

Crawfordville, Georgia Crawfordville is a town in Taliaferro County, Georgia, United States. The population was 534 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Taliaferro County. History Crawfordville was founded in 1825 as the seat of the newly formed Taliafer ...

. The 2003 Harmon Trophy was for the first solo gas balloon transcontinental flight from

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United State ...

to the Georgia coast.

Disappearance and death

Richard Abruzzo and Rymer Davis were lost at sea on September 29, 2010, while competing in the 54th Gordon Bennett Cup. Five days after liftoff from

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

, England they encountered a severe thunderstorm and were lost at sea. Their bodies were found off the coast of Italy in the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...

on December 6, 2010.Bodies Of Missing Balloonists Found In Sea
– Sky News

References

External links

"A picture of Richard Abruzzo and his wife Nancy in Bristol, England, on 25 September 2010, before the launch of the Gordon Bennett international balloon race."
George Bladon/nrgsportspix.com
"Inquiry into missing gas balloonists expected"
''BBC'', October 2, 2010 {{DEFAULTSORT:Abruzzo, Richard 1963 births 2004 in aviation 2010 deaths 2010s missing person cases American aviation record holders American balloonists Aviation history of the United States Aviators from New Mexico Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in Italy Balloon flight record holders Formerly missing people Harmon Trophy winners Missing person cases in Italy People from Albuquerque, New Mexico People lost at sea People who died at sea Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 2010

Background

Disappearance and death

See also

References

External links