UNSTEADY JET STREAM STALLS BALLOON ATTEMPT.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

Poor weather conditions over the Atlantic Ocean and Europe delayed the quest by Mojave test pilot Dick Rutan and balloonist Dave Melton to become the first to float around the world nonstop in a balloon.

The launch of the Global Hilton, Rutan and Melton's 200-foot-tall Rozier balloon, is being delayed at least three days, crew members said Monday.

Hours before Tuesday's planned pre-dawn launch, the balloonists changed their plans when the jet stream, which was to power their aircraft at speeds of up to 200 mph, began to deteriorate.

``The jet stream is like a river of air. Our forecast a couple of days ago was for a steady stream,'' Patrick Barry, spokesman for the Global Hilton effort, said by telephone from New Mexico.

``It started to meander and there were large gaps in it.''

Weather conditions on the ground at the launch site at Albuquerque's Balloon Fiesta Park were also less than ideal. Winds were blowing at 10 mph, with gusts up to 15 mph. Ideally, the winds should be less than 5 mph.

The Global Hilton crew was disappointed when the decision was made late Monday night to delay the launch, Barry said.

``They are still more determined than ever to launch again when the weather gods smile,'' he said.

The crew will take advantage of the delay to repack the 8-foot-diameter capsule. The weight of the capsule turned out to be less than originally expected, so the crew plans to add 130 pounds of ballast in the form of batteries that will provide more electricity during the flight.

When the crew does launch, the balloon will use both propane and helium to stay aloft in the jet stream, 30,000 to 35,000 feet above Earth, on a trip that is expected to last nine to 14 days.

The balloon will be lifted by helium during the day. At night, when helium cools, propane burners will be used to keep it aloft.

During the Global Hilton's flight, the two men will live inside the hermetically sealed capsule, insulated with 5 inches of foam to protect them from outside temperatures of 55 degrees below zero.

Rutan, 59, is a former Air Force test pilot and a Vietnam combat veteran. He made aviation history when he and co-pilot Jeana Yeager became the first to complete a nonstop, unrefueled, round-the-world flight in the Voyager airplane in December 1986.

Melton, 39, of Los Alamos, N.M., has about 10 years of balloon flying experience, including serving on the teams of two previous bids to circle the globe.

If the Global Hilton team succeeds, it will grab one of the last aviation firsts still left to be claimed. In addition, Anheuser-Busch has put up a $1 million prize for the first balloon to make it around the world nonstop.