EXPLORER David Hempleman-Adams proved he was not full of hot air when he came up with the idea for his latest conquest.

The intrepid adventurer will fly to America this week to prepare for an attempt to break a solo world distance record by balloon.

But the attempt will not be made in the relative safety of a high-tech capsule, but in a 7ft by 4ft wicker basket.

The 45-year-old daredevil from Box will try to cross the Atlantic from west to east. If successful, the journey will break the solo world distance record for this size and type of balloon 5,340km set 10 years ago by an American team.

Not only will he experience temperatures of around minus 30 degrees, altitude sickness, sleep deprivation and unpredictable weather during the six-day trip, there is also the possibility that he will plunge into the freezing Atlantic in the middle of the night, thousands of miles from safety.

A madman he is not, despite admitting a phobia for water. Daring expeditions are the only thing which can satisfy his hunger for adventure. He said: "Ever since I was a boy, my love of adventuring has got bigger and bigger, so I don't think it is ever going to stop.

"It sounds corny but every man has his Everest and I have met a lot of people who say 'I wish I had done this or that'. I'm very fortunate to do what I do and I love it.

"I really wanted to capture the golden age of balloonists and explorers by crossing the Atlantic in a traditional wicker basket in many ways this will be even more challenging than my flight to the North Pole."

Sponsored by Bath-based Chase de Vere Investments, Mr Hempleman-Adams will pilot the Chase de Vere Atlantic Challenger, a Roziere class balloon using a combination of helium and hot air.

He will launch from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on or around September 16. From there he will head for Newfoundland and make a final decision on whether to push on to Europe or ditch the balloon. The Bath-based control centre is the heart of the flight operation.

It provides 24-hour support for Mr Hempleman-Adams during his world record attempt.

A three-man team will communicate with air traffic control, receive weather updates and other data to help plot the flight. They will keep in contact with Mr Hempleman-Adams via satellite phone, email and high frequency radio.

A global positioning system will send back an automatic signal detailing his location every hour.

Should the attempt go wrong, they will also send out a search and rescue team. There are also a couple of life-saving dinghies on board the balloon.

Former Chippenham resident Dr David Owen is the logistics and flight director.

He said: "We will all be like David's mother. He will only be able to have about one hour's sleep a night, so we will have to keep him on his toes all the time."

You can follow Mr Hempleman-Adams' progress at www.chasedevere.co.uk

DAVID HEMPLEMAN-ADAMS FACT FILE

David Hempleman-Adams is only the third Briton to have climbed the highest summits in all seven continents

He was awarded the MBE for polar exploration in 1994 and OBE in 1998

1981 Achieved one of the fastest ascents of Mt McKinley in Alaska

1983 Abandoned a solo expedition to the geographical North Pole after 230 miles when he cracked several ribs and endured a 10-day storm

1984 First person to successfully complete a solo expedition to the magnetic North Pole unaided

1992 Led the first team to walk unsupported to the magnetic North Pole

1993 Climbed Everest.

1996 First Briton to walk solo and unsupported to the South Pole

February 1996 Sailed to the magnetic South Pole

May 1996 Led a team of novices to ski to the magnetic North Pole becoming the first person to reach North and South Magnetic Poles in one year

March 1998 Hauled a sledge across the frozen Arctic to reach the North Pole

December 1998 Flew from Chile to Argentina in the Typhoo Challenger balloon

1999 Aboard the first hot air balloon flight in the Arctic to cross the North West Passage

2000 First person to solo pilot a balloon to the North Pole