Wookey Hole balloon launch - 16th October 2010

The Wookey Hole balloon launch takes place over a weekend in mid October in rural Somerset, England.

The photos below are from the launch on thee afternoon of Saturday 16th October, from approx 4.30pm - the wind conditions were variable with some strong gusts at times.

The meet featured several one man hopper type balloons - the pilot sits in a simple chair frame with the gas container right behind him - no comfy wicket basket!

First to launch was G-CCSI a Cameron Z-42 balloon in the colurs of IKEA.

Second to launch was a brand new Lindstrand Cloudhopper G-NLCH in the colours of Norwich Lighting Centre.

Third to depart was PH-ZSL a Sky 25-16 from The Netherlands - this balloon was previously G-BZSL and was sold to Holland in 2009.

Next up was G-CBIH a Cameron Z-31 in Cameron Balloons house colours.

Last to inflate was G-BOYO a Cameron V-20 - this hopper type balloon is shown here tethered - it might have flown later after my own departure.


Steve

Wells Somerset - Balloon launch 30th August 2010

This year 16 hot air balloons launched from the Palace Fields adjacent to the Bishops Palace in Wells, Somerset on the evening of Bank Holiday Monday 30th August 2010.

The balloons took off from approx 6.20pm and floated south towards Glastonbury. Among them were

G-POLY Cameron N-77 c/n 428 - this was the oldest balloon present built back in 1978 and features Pollywallets titles and a large pink elephant and some far out man colours. This balloon has spent its life registered to owners in the Bristol area and was transferred on to new owners in July 2010.

G-ULTR Cameron A-105 c/n 4100 has Ultrafilter titles and has been registered to the same Bristol based owner since built in 1997.

G-BOOZ Cameron N-77 c/n 904 was among the last few to depart - this balloon was built in 1983 and was originally based in North Yorkshire until 1989 when sold to the current owners in Wiltshire - this balloon had flown over 430 flight hours by 12.09.

G-FOWS Cameron N-105 c/n 3995 was built in 1996 and wears the titles of its original owners the Fowlers motorcycles dealership in Bristol, since sold on to private owners in the Bristol area.

G-CDWD Cameron Z-105 c/n 10827, this large balloon was built recently in 2006 and wears the colours of the University of Bristol Hot Air Ballooning Society.

G-BXVP is a Sky 31-24 c/n 056 one man balloon with Sky Balloons titles built in Wales - no basket just a chair frame for the pilot - real seat of the pants flying.  G-BXVP was built in 1998 - the current owner is based just down the road from Wells in Cheddar.

G-CCTS Cameron Z-120 c/n 10570 was built in 2004 and wears Snap Surveys titles - the balloon is based in the Bristol area.

G-CBLO Lindstrand LBL 42A c/n 854 is another example of a one man balloon - I would imagine that the sensation of flight must be fantastic with such a balloon. This balloon was built in 2002 and took on a new owner in 5.10 based in the Bath area.

G-CFEK Cameron Z-105 c/n 11176 is only just over 2 years old having been first registered in June 2008 and wears the titles of Penny Plant Hire and Demolition - I've seen this balloon float past Wells several times as it is locally based near Radstock.

Steve in Wells