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Maxie Anderson

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Maxie Anderson
Anderson (1981)
Born
Max Leroy Anderson

(1934-09-10)September 10, 1934
Sayre, Oklahoma
DiedJune 27, 1983(1983-06-27) (aged 48)
Bad Kissingen, West Germany
Cause of deathBalloon crash
Resting placeSunset Memorial Park,
Albuquerque, New Mexico
35°06′29.2″N 106°37′59.9″W / 35.108111°N 106.633306°W / 35.108111; -106.633306
NationalityAmerican
EducationMissouri Military Academy
Alma materUniversity of North Dakota
Occupation(s)Balloonist, businessman
SpousePatty Anderson
Children4
FatherCarl Anderson
AwardsCongressional Gold Medal (1979)

Maxie Anderson (born Max Leroy Anderson; September 10, 1934 – June 27, 1983) was an American hot air balloonist and Congressional Gold Medal recipient[1]

Early life and education

Anderson was born in Sayre, Oklahoma, to rancher and mining industry executive Carl Anderson. He entered the Missouri Military Academy at Mexico, Missouri, at the age of eight, and throughout his high school years assisted his father in building pipelines. He engaged in prospecting in the Arctic Circle before completing his degree in industrial engineering at the University of North Dakota in 1956. He developed an early interest in flight, obtaining a license at the age of fifteen (having misrepresented his age). This allowed him to fly a plane to the academy at age 15, while cars were banned except for those aged 18. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, he entered the mining industry, acquiring his own company, Ranchers Exploration and Development Corporation, before he was thirty. His career was marked by innovations in extraction technologies, delivery systems, and administrative practices. For his work, Anderson was inducted into the National Mining Hall of Fame.[2]

Hot air ballooning

Along with his friend Ben Abruzzo, he became interested in hot air ballooning. The two decided to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's flight, and engaged balloonist Ed Yost (whose transatlantic bid had failed in 1958) to build the Double Eagle. The balloon was launched near Marshfield, Massachusetts on September 9, 1977, but the flight was aborted off the coast of Iceland on September 13. In 1978 Larry Newman, a manufacturer of hang gliders, was added to the crew for the next attempt in the Double Eagle II. This venture was launched August 11 at Presque Isle, Maine, and arrived at Miserey, France, on August 17. For their efforts, the team was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1979. It was both a distance record (3108 miles) and a duration record (137 hours) for the sport. With his son Kristian, he made the first non-stop trans-North American balloon flight. The Kitty Hawk departed Fort Baker, California, on May 8, 1980, and landed on May 12 at Sainte-Félicité, Quebec.[3] He next decided to complete a circumnavigation of the globe. With Don Ida he launched the balloon Jules Verne from Luxor, Egypt on January 11, 1981, travelling 4,316 kilometres (2,682 mi), and landing in Hansa, India 48 hours later.[4][5]

Death

Anderson was killed on June 27, 1983, near Bad Kissingen, West Germany. He was in the air with co-pilot Don Ida. Having no wish to stray across the border into East Germany or Czechoslovakia, he attempted to release the gondola from the envelope at touchdown. The bolts failed to fire, and a gust re-lofted the vehicle, whereupon the explosive bolts deployed, and both Anderson and Ida were killed in the fall.[6][7] The locale of the accident is also given as "near the village of Schönderling in the county of Bad Kissingen"[8] in a history of the Gordon Bennett Cup balloon race, in which they were participating as non-competitors at the time.

Legacy

In 1973, Anderson founded the Anderson Valley Vineyards with his wife Patty. "We have a lot of balloon-themed wines and items," wine expert Angela Le Quieu says. She adds that the label for the winery's Balloon Blush wine always uses a picture from the previous year's Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.[9] His name lives on in the new Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum in Albuquerque, and in the Maxie Anderson Award, for an Albuquerque "business owner who has demonstrated excellence in business success; reputation; community involvement and leadership; and humanity and humor." [10]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.nationalballoonmuseum.com/Portals/0/Documents/HallOfFame/HallOfFame2011AndersonRev2.pdf National Balloon Museum Hall of Fame
  2. ^ "National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum - Leadville, Colorado, minerals, gems, history". Leadville.com. August 17, 1978. Archived from the original on June 24, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ KenInfinite (June 27, 2006). "Cut and Paste Aviation: Milestones of Flight: 6/27". Cutandpasteaviation.blogspot.com. Retrieved July 14, 2009. [dead link]
  4. ^ http://www.didyouknow.cd/aroundtheworld/balloons.htm
  5. ^ "Around the World by Balloon". Allstar.fiu.edu. Archived from the original on May 17, 2009. Retrieved July 14, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Balloonatics | Outside Online". OutsideOnline.com. Archived from the original on September 19, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Maxie Anderson (American balloonist) - Britannica Online Encyclopedia". Britannica.com. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  8. ^ "The Gordon Bennett Balloon Race - 1983". Coupegordonbennett.org. May 26, 1957. Archived from the original on February 22, 2001. Retrieved July 14, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ http://www.vertical-ascent.com/bizbuz_april/index.html


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