LONDON An Anglo-American team called the Spirit of Peace on Sunday joined an increasingly crowded race to make the first non-stop around-the-world balloon flight. I think it takes somewhat of an ego to be either brave enough or silly enough to get into a bag full of gas and hot air and try to be the first to float around the world in 15 days, said Jacques Soukup, who will lead the three-pilot flight crew.

Soukup, a U.S. citizen who lives in Lacock, southern England, said he was confident after lobbying several U.S. senators of avoiding the problems past missions have encountered seeking permission to fly over some countries. The crew of the Swiss Breitling Orbiter 2 balloon set a world record for non-stop flight in February but had to abandon their round-the-world attempt after China failed to grant overflight rights in time.

I think that's not going to be a problem this year, said Soukup, a former friar who has been ballooning since 1979. He said any money raised through sponsorship of the mission would go to causes that promote world peace. The main sponsor of the mission is a Florida-based Episcopalian priest, Rev. Marta Weeks. The 19-storey-high helium gas and hot air balloon will be launched this winter from Albuquerque, New Mexico, the home town of one of the other pilots, Mark Sullivan. The third, Crispin Williams, is from Somerset, western England. At least five other teams are planning round-the-world attempts for later this year, including Breitling Orbiter, British entrepreneur Richard Branson and American balloonist Steve Fossett. I think it will be a rash person who would tell you which team to bet on and whether it will be done this year, but it's getting more and more likely as people gain more experience and the lessons of the past are learned, said Don Cameron, whose Bristol-based firm is building the Spirit of Peace balloon.

(Reuters)