I sr ael iI ndependenceDay
G L O B ALR E AC H
Fl ypastandEvent s
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Avi at i onPr of i l es
TheHel i copt erMuseum
West onSuper Mar e Japan’ sF86s
PLUS:
60 Year sofCommer ci alJetFl yi ng Doppo’ sNew HotAi rBal l oon
I t ’ saL oad ofHotAi r Regul arf ol l ower sofal l t hi ngsbal l ooni ngwi l l r emembert hatbacki ni s s ue5 ofGAM,whenPaul Dops onr epor t edonf l yi ngatt heI ci cl eMeet ,heandhi s par t ner ,Heaven,hadpl acedanor derf orabr andnew Camer onConcept envel ope.T hi si st he s t or y,f r om t he i ni t i alconceptr i ghtt hr ough t o pr oduct i onand,event ual l y,t hef i r s tf l i ght . I nt heaut umnof2011,HeavenandI pur chas ed a compl et eCamer onVi va 77( l ef t ) ,s ot hatwe coul df l yt oget herandcompl et eHeaven’ spi l ot t r ai ni ng.T he77( 77, 000cubi cf eet )i st heper f ect s i z ef ort wo peopl et o bot hf l y and manage eas i l yi nt er msofgr oundhandl i ng.Weknew t hat t he envel ope al r eadyhad a good numberof f l yi nghour soni t ,buti twoul dgetust hr ought he wi nt erand al l ow Heaven t o gai n herpi l ot ’ s l i cence.Anot herr eas onf orbuyi ngwast hatt he bot t om end ( bas ket and bur ner ) was i n ex cel l entcondi t i on,and t he whol e package camewi t hacover edt r ai l er . Af t eraf ew f l i ght st hough,i tbecamecl eart hat t he envel ope had a r ealt hi r s tf orf uel .As envel opes get ol der t he mat er i albecomes mor e por ousand heatr et ent i on di s appear s . Gener al l ya bal l oon wi l lus e one l i t r e off uela mi nut es oeachofourf or t yl i t r et ankswoul dgi ve f or t y mi nut esf l yi ng t i me.T hi s77 wasf l yi ng at near l yt hr eet i mest hatr at e,maki ngi tex pens i ve and al s ot r i ckyt of l y,asi thad t obecons t ant l y war m or woul d des cend ver y qui ckl y. S o, f ol l owi ng myf l i ghtatt he I ci cl e Meet ,we t ook t he deci s i ont o gr ound t he 77and buya new Camer onConceptenvel ope.
We deci ded on a s l i ght l yl ar gerenvel ope,at 80, 000cubi cf eet .Al t hough i twoul d gener al l y be j us tt he t wo of us f l yi ng,s epar at el y or t oget her ,t hi swoul dal l ow ust of l yourf r i endsas pas s enger s .Asa r es ul t ,t he bal l oon woul d be f l yi ng l i ght l yl oaded and t hi snor mal l yi ncr eas es t heenvel ope’ sl i f es pan.Wedeci dednott ot ake t he opt i on oft ur ni ng vent s ,as wi t has mal l bas keti t ’ sj us taseas yt ot ur n your s el fi nt he bas kett of ace t he di r ect i on oft r avel ,r at her t hanr ot at et hewhol ebal l oon. S o,wi t ht he envel ope t ype and s i z e agr eed upon,came t he r eal l y di f f i cul tpar t :whati t s houl dl ook l i ke.T he Concept80 envel ope i s madeupoft wel vemai ns i des( gor es )andeach oft hes egor esi smadeup oft wel vepanel s .S o t hat gave us 144 panel st hat we had t o coor di nat ei nt oagoodl ooki ngbal l oon-f r om a choi ceof23col our s !
Camer on s uppl i ed uswi t h a bl ank t empl at e and,overt hecour s eofaweekort wo,Heaven, who wasi nchar ge ofdes i gn,came up wi t ha l ar genumberofpos s i bi l i t i est hatwet henhadt o wor kt hr ough.When we had ourf i nalt hr ee des i gnswes entt hem t ot hef act or ys ot hatt hey coul d be t ur ned i n t o t hr eedi mens i onal r epr es ent at i ons .Whatf ol l owed wasl ot smor e heads cr at chi ngoverwhi chwast heonet ogo wi t h,i ncl udi ngpol l sonF acebookandT wi t t ert o hel pusdeci de!Wi t hourmi ndsmadeup,i twas of ft ot he f act or yi n Br i s t olt os ee t he mat er i al i t s el fandt of i nal i s et hedes i gnbef or epl aci ngan or der .
Above-Rowsofmat er i alr eadyt obet r ansf or medi nt o bal l oons, t he bi ns cont ai n r ed panel s r eady f or assembl yf orawel l knownbal l oonoper at or
Above-Thecut t i nghal lwher et heenvel opepanel sar e car ef ul l ycutf r om r ol l sofmat er i al
Att he f act or ywe wer e hel ped byJ ul i a Dal by, who s howed us r ows and r ows ofdi f f er ent col our ed mat er i al ,and J onat han S mi t h,who woul dbecut t i ngoutt heenvel ope.L ucki l y,onl y one change ofcol ourwasneeded t of i nal i s e t hedes i gn.At ouroft hef act or yens uedandwe wer et aken t hr ough t he bui l d pr oces s ,whi ch cont r as t sol dandnew t echnol ogi es . Bal l oon envel opesar e ofs ewn cons t r uct i on, madeofhi ght ens i l enyl onmat er i als t i t ched t o l oad bear i ng t apes .Camer on of f er st wo mai n t ypes ofmat er i alwhi ch can be us ed i ni t s envel opes .Hyper l as ti ss i l i concoat ednyl onwi t h at i ghtweave,whi chi sver ys t r onganddur abl e. Al ar gepas s engerr i debal l oonwoul d nor mal l y be made compl et el y of Hyper l as t as t he envel ope woul d be f l own mor e and,as a wor ki ng bal l oon,i t needs t o have a good l i f es pan.Mos tmedi um s i z ebal l oonswoul dhave
j us tt het op t hi r d orhal foft heenvel opemade wi t h Hyper l as t , f or added s t r engt h and l ongevi t y.Aswehad al r eadydeci ded t hatwe woul d be f l yi ng ourbal l oon l i ght l yl oaded,we deci ded upon Camer on’ ss t andar d mat er i al cal l edCal i ber .T hi shasa‘ t ar t an’weavet ogi ve i tex t r as t r engt handt ocont ai nanyr i pdamage. I tal s ohaspr ot ect i vecoat i ngsappl i edt omake i tai r t i ght ,r es i s twat erand di r tand t o pr ot ect agai ns tmoul d.Cal i beri sl i ght ert hanHyper l as t , Above - The hi gh t ech CAD cut t i ng machi ne t hat whi ch woul d be an advant age f orus ,t he cl ever l ycut soutar t wor ki nt hemosteconomi calway di s advant agebei ngt hatHyper l as thasal onger l i f es pan,but ,wi t hourl i ghtl oadi ng,we s houl d be abl e t o eke out t he f l yi ng hour st o compr omi s e.T he par achut ei nt he t op oft he envel ope i smade f r om Hyper l as t ,ass t andar d. T hebot t om oft heenvel opeandt hes coopar e madef r om f i r er es i s t antNomex ,whi chpr ot ect s t he envel ope f r om t he bur nerf l ame i nt hes e cr uci al ar eas . T hes t r engt hoft heenvel opecomesf r om l oad t apes whi ch r un ver t i cal l y and hor i z ont al l y. Wi t houtt hi smat er i alabal l oonenvel opewoul d l ook pr et t y much l i ke a s pi der ’ s web. T he ope panel si nt he pr ocessofbei ng Concept80hast wel vever t i cal t apeswhi chr un Above -Ourenvel c u t o u t t he whol e hei ghtoft he envel ope and ar e at t ached t o t he s t eel f l yi ng cabl es whi ch connectt heenvel opet ot hebot t om end.T he hor i z ont all oadt apesactasr i ps t opper ss ot hat anydamaget ot heenvel opewi l lbel i mi t ed i n ex t ent . T hemat er i ali sr ol l ed outonl ongcut t i ngt abl es and t he i ndi vi dualpanel sar e hand cutf r om t empl at eswhi ch ar et hen r eady t o be s ewn t oget her .T hi si s wher e t he ol d t echnol ogy comesi n and a t eam ofs eams t r es s eswor k away wi t ht hei rs ewi ng machi nes t os l owl y as s embl et heenvel ope.Ours mal l80envel ope woul dt ake abouta week t os ew t oget her ; l ar gerpas s engerr i debal l oonst akear oundt wo andahal fweekswhi l et hos et hathavear t wor k t ake l onger s t i l l . A hi ght ech CAD cut t i ng machi ne i sus ed wher e ar t wor ki sr equi r ed.T hi s max i mi s est he us age oft he mat er i al ,cut t i ng downonwas t e,and t hi sar t wor ki st henus ual l y Above - St i t chi ng our panel st oget her t of or m t he opeast eadyhandi sneededt owor kt hemachi ne s ewn on t ot he panel s .Once compl et e,t he envel
envel ope and par achut e ar er i gged wi t ht hei r cont r ol l i nesandi tt hengoest hr oughar i gor ous i ns pect i on pr oces s ,l i ke anyai r cr af t ,bef or ei t ’ s cer t i f i ed.
Bel ow - Ar t wor k cut and r emoved, t he l et t er s ar e ar r angedi nt hebestwayt oavoi dmat er i alwast age Ri ght-Ourver yownpr i vat er egi st r at i on!
Wi t h our or der pl aced we wer e al l ocat ed a cons t r uct i on numberand j us thadt owai tourt ur nf orabui l ds l ot . T hen came t he deci s i on over a r egi s t r at i on. S houl d we go f or a s t andar d i ns equence r egi s t r at i on or s omet hi ngabi tdi f f er ent ?Wedeci ded t o per s onal i s e ourr egi s t r at i on.T he UK r egi s t erpr ef i xi s“G“f ol l owed byf our l et t er s .Wes pents ever alhour st r yi ngt o come up wi t hani nt er es t i ng f i ve l et t er wor d s t ar t i ng wi t h “g” t hat hadn’ t al r eadybeenal l ocat ed.Nol uckt her e. T hen a f ur t her f ew hour st r yi ng t o i dent i f yan i nt er es t i ng f ourl et t erwor d wi t h bal l ooni ng s i gni f i cance.We had been beat en t ot hos et oo.F i nal l ywe s et t l ed f orouri ni t i al s ,s o ourbal l oon woul d become GHCPD. Al lbal l oons ar e named and our swoul d be cal l ed Chr i s t opherRobi naf t ermyl at ef at her .
Mai n -Heavenf l yi ngherGFTi nt hebal l oonont hel ef twi t hmat chi ngsuppor tbal l oon
Whi l s t our envel ope was under cons t r uct i on we bor r owed a Camer on Vi va90s ot hatHeavencoul dcont i nueher pi l ott r ai ni ng.Af t era coupl e ofweat her f al s es t ar t sI ’ m pl eas edt os ayt hatHeaven pas s ed herGF T( Gener alF l i ghtT es t )on6 Mar ch and s ucces s f ul l y compl et ed an hourl ong s ol os t r ai ghtaf t er war ds .T wo pi l ot si nt hehous e;now al l weneededwas ourownbal l oon!
Lef t-I nsi det heenvel opef ul l yi nf l at edandr eadyt of l y Opposi t e - Sunl i ght gl i nt i ng of ft he envel ope as I embar koni t sf i r stf l i ght
T woweeksl at erandwer ecei vedt henewst hat t he envel ope wascompl et ed and had been t es t i nf l at ed wi t hout any i s s ues .F or t he ai r wor t hi nes scer t i f i cat i on t ot ake pl ace It ook ourbot t om endt ot hef act or ys ot hati tcoul dbe i ns pect ed.T of l y as an ai r cr af tt he bal l oon cer t i f i cat i on i ncl udes t he envel ope, bas ket , bur nerand f uelcyl i nder scompl et e.F i nal l yt he cal lcame t hat t he bal l oon was r eady f or col l ect i on butwe woul d have t o wai tf ort he Ci vi lAvi at i on Aut hor i t y( CAA)t o pr oces st he r egi s t r at i on paper wor kbef or e we coul df l yi t . Wi t ht heCAA paper wor kcompl et ed i twasj us t downt ot heweat herf ort hebal l oon’ sf i r s tf l i ght , buti ts eemed t hatt hegood weat heri nMar ch andear l yApr i l hadl ef tus .
Cons t ant checki ng of t he weat her f or ecas t and an ear l y mor ni ng s l ot appear ed on Wednes day 11 Apr i l .T he f or ecas tpr ovedcor r ectand,atdawn,we r i gged t hebal l oonf ori t sf i r s tf l i ght .Aswe pul l ed t he envel ope outofi t sbag we wer e mor e t han i mpr es s ed wi t h t he col our swehadchos en. Bl owi ng col d ai ri nt ot he envel ope,t he bal l oon s t ar t ed t ot ake s hape and,wi t h Heaveni ncont r ol oft hebur ner s ,i tr os et o i t sf eet .Wi t hdawnbr eaki ngt heenvel ope r eal l ys t ar t edt os hi nei nt hes unl i ght .I t ook af ew pi ct ur esbef or e changi ng pl aces wi t hHeavens ot hatIwasr eadyt of l y. Ihave wi t nes s ed pl ent y ofai r cr af tf i r s t f l i ght sbutt hi swast o be myf i r s taspi l ot . Put t i ngmyf ai t hi nt hes ki l lofever yoneat Camer on Bal l oons ,Ius ed t he bur nert o war mt heenvel ope.S t r ai ghtawayi twas not i ceabl et hatt he new envel ope was goi ngt obes uper ef f i ci ent ,es peci al l ywi t h j us toneper s oni nt hebas ket .T hebal l oon waseagert of l y,t he gr ound l i ne was r el eas edand,wi t hmi ni mal heat ,i ts t ar t ed t o as cend.Compar ed t ot he 77i twasa ni ghtand dayt r ans f or mat i on i nt er msof heatr et ent i on and ef f i ci ency.I twoul d have pr obabl y hel ped havi ng a pas s engeral ong wi t hme ast he bal l oon r emai nedcons t ant l ybuoyant .
Above-Li t t l eandl ar ge!Our80i snear l yt hr eet i mes f i r stf l i ght
It houghtt hatImaybeai r bor nef orqui t e s omet i meands oi tpr oved.Anhouri nt o t he f l i ghtand Ichanged t o my s econd f uelcyl i nder :wi t ht he 77 Iwoul d have beenont he l as tcyl i nderand l ooki ng t o l andorhavel andedal r eady.
Above-Ear l ymor ni ngmi stbur ni ngof ff r om t heWel
essmal l ert hani t sbi gbr ot her210asHeavenpr epar esf orher
el shval l eysbel ow
Near i ng t he end oft he s econd hourI s t i l l hadgasl ef ti nt hes econd t ank but t he combi nat i on of a danger ar ea and t er r ai n woul d s t op me f r om f l yi ng much f ur t her . T he wi nd wast aki ng me t owar ds t he dangerar ea ofS ennybr i dge andIdi dn’ twantt ogets hotdown -notonaf i r s tf l i ght !Addedt ot hi s wer e t he appr oachi ng Bl ack Mount ai ns ,whi ch have pl ent y of i nacces s i bl e acr esofl and.S o,j us t undert hr ee hour saf t ert akeof f ,I t ouched down i n one oft he l as t r emai ni ng acces s i bl ef i el dsbef or e t he mount ai ns t o compl et e a s t unni ng f i r s tf l i ght .I ’ m not s ur e Heavenwast oopl eas edatdr i vi ng t her et r i eveandhavi ngmi s s edout ons uchagr eatf l i ght ! F our days l at er and r ol es wer e r ever s edandi twasmyt ur nt odr i ve t her et r i evewhi l s tHeavenf l ew.T hi s t i meHeavenhadcompany,noti n t he bas ket but f l yi ng al ongs i de J onat han,who had cutoutour envel ope.J onat han wasf l yi ng a bi g 210 pas s enger bal l oon and t hey bot ht ook of ff r om Br echf a F or es tf oranear l ymor ni ng f l i ghti n t ot he T owyVal l ey.ImetHeaven j us tass he wascar r yi ng outa t ex t bookl andi ngaf t erat wohourf l i ght and s her epor t ed t hatt hebal l oon wasaj oyt of l yandt hatagai nt he f uel economywass uper b.
Icar r i ed outa s hor t erf l i ght t he f ol l owi ng mor ni ng and t he accompanyi ng i mage ( r i ght ) of my t r ack r eal l y s howswhatf un i ti st of l yi n t he val l eysofWal esi nt he r i ghtcondi t i ons .T hel ow l evel val l ey wi nd was nor t h eas t er l y asIcl i mbed. I ti s pos s i bl e t o s ee t he wi nd s wi ngi ng r ound f r om t he s out h t o near wes t er l y at 3, 000 f eet .AsIdes cended t he s out her l y f l ow t akes cont r olbef or e di ppi ng back i nt o a val l eyt o pi ckup t he nor t h eas t er l y val l ey wi nd, whi ch t ur ned me ni net y degr ees r i ght , wi t ha f i nal s out heas t er l ywi ndt hatt ook me i nt o my l andi ng val l ey. I t ’ snotal wayst hi smuchf un butcer t ai nl yi l l us t r at eshow wer eal l ydof l yont hewi nd. I fyous eeusar oundt heUKor Eur ope l at er t hi s year do comeands ayhel l oandIwi l l be keepi ng ever yone updat ed on ourbal l ooni ng
Her e Iam hol di ng t he mout h oft he bal l oon open so t hatcol dai rcanbebl owni nt oi nf l at et heenvel ope
Takeof ff orHeavenf l yi ngour80f ol l owi ngJ onat hani n t he210