Too Hot??????

Unstable air, thunder and variable winds are causing chaos to the ballooning world at the moment, lets hope it settles down soon...............

Friday night in Raglan

The thunder storms passed across the country faster than predicted so our intrepid aviator(pilot) called the flight on at 1600, informing the passengers to meet at 1900. The launch site was awash with blue sky and light winds for a great take off, gentle meandour to the East/NE, landing to the West of Monmouth, greeted by a stunning sunset, showing the eastern edge of the Black Mountains in all they're glory!!! That is why Wales is well known as 'Gods Country'!......hot weather to follow in the next few days......WoooooooooWhoooo!!!

Bath and Overcast

The Met Office got the forecast pretty wrong!!!.......Grey, overcast morning.........bit of drizzle.....delayed launch 'til 0810.........took off.......more drizzle!.....short flight West towards Bristol, landing at Saltford in cut field........yet again, no sign of farmer, so with local knowledge informing us that the farmer did 'contract' work and could be anywhere in Somerset or South Gloucester, we went on and retrieved. Pilot is now known as 'Rain Man'!!

Monday at Cheltenham

0400 hrs and we are off to Cheltenham Racecourse for the first launch of the day.......Launched at 0700 in light winds heading SW......landed on the Gloucestshire Way on common land in a pile of nettles!!! Quick retrieval and back at base by 1015!

Pm flight.......Took off in very light Southerly wind at 1900, lovely evening........landed in a cut field 20 minutes south of Cheltenham, could not find landowner so had to nip on to the field, causing minimum disturbance, and leave everything as we found it. (Locals confirmed that landowner lived many miles away and they had no contact no.)

Glastonbury

A warm and breezy evening saw us in Millfield School, welcoming an enthusiastic group of passengers. After layout and safety brief we had to wait until 2010 to launch because of a gusting breeze. The launch went smoothly during a lull between gusts!. Fantastic vis at 5000ft, travelling NE towards Wookey Hole, where a near perfect landing in a cut field was witnessed by a smashing landowner and half the village kids!!(who were put to work to help pack away) Passengers were so impressed they were very generous with the 'tips' box.....;-) Next few days not looking good weather wise:-(

Marlborough Monday Morning

Launched from airfield North of Marlborough in light winds NE over Swindon, landing in a field about a mile from the farm of the owners. They were very helpfull, the gamekeeper leading us through fields for about a mile to get to the basket..........which was in a 'cut' field surrounded by crop fields. Bacon Rolls on the way home!!!!

Busy Weekend

Slow start on Friday morning, Bath flight cancelled due to 'un-forecast' rain!......Friday night took us to Cheltenham College to launch under overcast skies which broke up nicely during the flight , landed high on a hill but luckily good access for retrieving and a co-operative landowner.

Saturday morning saw us at the racecourse for the next launch, having stayed in local hotel overnight. Threatening dark cloud caused concern initially.......soon broke up and sun came through to make the flight pretty impressive, landing NE of Winchcombe. The landowners were brilliant, offering FREE launch site with parking!, if we ever need it......It is amazing how generous people can be.......if you have read previous balloon reports on this site, people can be less than welcoming, however, luckily, the majority are smashing!

Another Bath Morning Launch

Another lovely morning flight, if slightly cloudy, on Thursday..........Landowner was great and recovery was quick and painless!!!!!!!............then off to Pembrokeshire to see Mum!

Morning Flights from Bath

Tuesday morning was beautifully clear and the launch went well, headed SW at 18 knots.......landing in a field riddled with cow pats!!!!....many of which I managed to kneel in while packing the balloon up!.....made it all the way to the west of Wells......so a long drive back in the bus, but the passengers were happy, giving us over £10.00 in tips!

Wednesday morning was also lovely but slightly hazy........heading was South towards Frome, chasing being difficult because of the morning rush hour/school runs/bloody road works!!!...Landed west of Frome, this time in a nice freshly cut field! Again, lovely bunch of passengers gave out £10.00 + in tips....must be my charm and wit!