Missile threats, faulty burners & two hours to live… how underdogs beat billionaires to circle world in hot air balloon

AS the deadly storm darkened the sky ahead, Brian Jones had to take drastic action to save his and his co-pilot’s lives. Flying at more than 22,000ft in a hot air balloon with no brakes and no steering, the former RAF pilot and his Swiss colleague Bertrand Piccard knew the violent thunderhead cloud could rip...