Starkbaum, Josef#
Starkbaum, Josef, b. Brno, Czech Republic (then Bruenn), March 22, 1934, balloonist and aircraft pilot. Won numerous international competitions, including several times the Gordon-Bennett race; won several European championships and two world championships in ballooning. He himself broke his own world altitude record of 13,670 m, which he had held for many years, in 1998 with a new height of 15,360 m.