Ben Abruzzo
Ben Abruzzo | |
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Richard | |
Awards | Congressional Gold Medal FAI Diplome Montgolfier ballooning's highest honor FAI Gold Air Medal |
Benjamin L. "Ben" Abruzzo (June 9, 1930 – February 11, 1985) was an American
Life
Abruzzo was born in
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Abruzzo took an interest in hot air ballooning in the early 1970s. In 1972, Abruzzo and other local balloon pilots held the first Albuquerque balloon fiesta with just thirteen balloons launching from a shopping mall parking lot. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is now the largest ballooning event of its kind in the world, with over 600 balloons participating each October.[5]
Double Eagle
In 1977 Abruzzo and fellow balloonist
Double Eagle II
The Abruzzo and Anderson team, this time with
Double Eagle V
Abruzzo was also on the Double Eagle V team. The Double Eagle V was the first team to cross the Pacific Ocean in a gas balloon in November 1981. This flight also set a record for longest trip by a team in a balloon.[8]
Death and legacy
Ben Abruzzo died on 11 February 1985 when the
Creating a foundation, the Abruzzo and Anderson families partnered with the City of Albuquerque and constructed the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum next to the launch field of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The World's most photographed event, Fiesta is held the second week of every October.[2]
Abruzzo had partnered with Robert Nordhaus, a retired lawyer and father
References
- ^ Richard Melzer. Buried Treasures Famous and Unusual Gravesites in New Mexico History.
- ^ a b c d e "BEN L. ABRUZZO" (PDF). nationalballoonmuseam.com. National Balloon Museam. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- ^ "Ben L. Abruzzo (American Balloonist)". Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ "Richard Abruzzo (USA)". gasballooning.org. GasBallooning. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
- ^ "History of Gas Ballooning". Balloonfiesta.com. Archived from the original on September 12, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
- ^ Barry, Keith. "Ben Abruzzo | This Day In Tech". Wired.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
- ISBN 0-316-55360-3.
- ^ "History of Gas Ballooning". Balloonfiesta.com. Archived from the original on August 2, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
- ^ "Famous people who died in aviation accidents". Planecrashinfo.com. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
- ^ "Attention to Detail". Check-Six.com.
- ^ "Bodies of Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis Found in Adriatic Sea" Archived December 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, SKY, 6 December 2010
- ^ Davenport, Coral (May 10, 2014). "Brothers Battle Climate Change on Two Fronts". The New York Times.
- ^ "History of SPSP". Sandia Peak Ski Patrol. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.