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On March 21, 1999, hot air balloon pilots Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones completed a daring journey aboard the Breitling Balloon 3 and landed in the Egyptian desert. They broke records and, unexpectedly, became the first people to complete a non-stop round-the-world flight in a hot air balloon.

It is believed that this journey was the last great flying challenge of the 20th century. A total of 11 teams of well-known personalities made 21 attempts. Bertrand Piccard himself made two attempts, in 1997 and 1998, before successfully challenging Brian Jones for the third time. The two hot air balloon pilots flew 45,633 kilometers and lasted 19 days, 21 hours, and 47 minutes before finally landing in Egypt, setting a double record for the longest flight distance and the longest flight time.

With the rise of airlines, the brand became the “Official Supplier of the World Aviation Industry” with its Navitimer chronograph featuring a slide rule, ideal for commercial airline cabin crews.