Ballooning 
Big Ben – Tylers Green Jubilee Beacon
So, midweek, sometime in April, we get a phone call from a bloke named Bill. We get calls from blokes named Bill fairly often, mainly though they are asking questions about balloon rides or whether we can build an arch out of multicoloured balloons for their daughter’s wedding in Basildon. Opening gambit this time though… Read More ›
Smiling happy faces-BBM&L Inflation Day
Smiling happy faces-BBM&L Inflation Day 2012 Now, it is a while since we ventured past the Clocktower to attend a balloon meet proper but despite a very dreary day, low cloud and drizzle, that is exactly what we did, just that, on Saturday 19th May. Following a bit of a let down on the original… Read More ›
Two go to France – Numero uno
Two go to France – Numero uno, Chateau Balleroy When I was at school we had, for a short time, a brace of house tutors fondly called The Masefields. Turns out Mr Masefield was the grandson of John Masefield, the poet who wrote ‘Cargoes’ and ‘Sea Fever’. I’d known the poems ever since I was… Read More ›
G-BHTG update – Second maiden flight after 21 years
G-BHTG update – Second maiden flight after 21 years Back on the UK register and passed as ready to rock, G-BHTG took to the air again with its Hot Tom on Sunday 6th May 2012. Its not often balloons have such a long break and emerge from storage in such good condition but Halycon proves… Read More ›
Gyroplanes and Balloons-the Rupert Stanley Mix
Gyroplanes and Balloons-the Rupert Stanley Mix When it comes to stunning looking balloons, for us, the title has been held for many years, by Rob Cross and Rupert Stanley’s yellow, red and green, ‘Twiglet’. Built in 1992, this very pretty balloon, a Colt 77A registered G-BUJH, has always been a firm favourite with us but… Read More ›
Old Thunder rocks again – G-BHTG a bit behind the scenes
Old Thunder rocks again – G-BHTG a bit behind the scenes Relatively early balloons with low hours seldom turn up but in the case of Thunder G-BHTG, a 1980 56Bolt, that is exactly what happened. Purchased new in 1980 and christened ‘Halycon’, meaning calm and tranquil, by the MacDonalds from Surrey it only clocked up… Read More ›
Early Doors – tethering at The London Marathon
Early Doors – tethering at The London Marathon Story and pictures courtesy of Wendy Tyrell I started watching the London Marathon on TV, many years ago. There is something admirable about athletes, celebrities and everyday people running together for 26 miles, for their own individual reasons. Watching all those people on the start line, waiting… Read More ›
Concorde flies again
Tim Orchard is a balloonist. He also holds the record for the fastest ever crossing of the Atlantic by commercial airliner (like with passengers sipping champagne on board and all that Henley-type stuff yah). He, along with Captain Leslie Scott and Senior Engineering Officer Rick Eades, managed to get their Concorde, G-BOAD, from New York… Read More ›
Robin Batchelor-the hidden bits bite back!
Many years ago whilst flying from the sadly missed Southampton Balloon and Flower Festival I was asked by Lenny Vaughan, then new to the ‘circuit’, about flying out of shows. I told him, quite seriously, that the take off should be as good as you can get it but the landing didn’t really matter as… Read More ›
An Australian Adventure-the bit you didn’t see
So it goes, often stranger than fact, when a project kicks off, that someone suggests something that isn’t exactly along a straight line. Indeed, as a Devon duck arrives on the table, maybe such a strange tale is better left for early morning. Having taken part in many a project, stunt or bit o’film work… Read More ›