A very warm welcome to you if this is your first visit and thanks for coming back if you are coming back to see what’s new. If you thought you’d come to find out about balloon airworthiness matters then you have but…despite being a Part M Subpart F & G Organisation looking after airworthiness matters relating to hot air balloons in EASAland we do have other interests as do the people who use us. Keeps us all sane you know. The main reference stuff is down the side in the pages and lurking in the Technical bit which we try and keep updated other than that all sorts of bits and bobs are here from motorbikes, horses to playing cards and ships and London’s famous Liberty store. Clicking on the pictures various should make them bigger.
Very sadly the News features on the tragic accident in Egypt which resulted in the deaths of 19 passengers. The investigation is now well underway and hopefully it will get to the bottom of what actually happened and put an end to the many rumours and speculation going about. Our sympathy goes out to all concerned. On a brighter note the Black Horse is to run an anniversary meet to celebrate the much missed All Fools Meet the first of which took place 30 years ago! Who would have believed it? We were running around in a Standard 8 then and Alice was nowhere in sight! There are also a couple of new meet dates in the Events Calendar.
Back in the workshop. It now seems inevitable that we will have to move during the next 18 months as the HS2 has now been moved closer to the farm and will be non-stopping through John’s sewing area. Compulsary purchase is being talked about and as we are mere tenants all is not looking very good. Never mind, we’ll sort something and don’t intend moving far (hopefully closer to the pub). Work has picked up nicely now and typically John is off to sunnier climes for ten days but the Repair Station will still be open for business Tuesday to Friday as normal. It does seem we have a pile of shapes to inspect so we will try and arrange a weekend to do that and post a note accordingly for the spotters. Recent visitors included the second inspection of the old Thunder Balloon G-BHTG now being used by the BBM&L. The HotTom burner managed to break (like they did) but that has now been mended and it is set to make a few appearances during the coming year. Now the ground is starting to dry out inspections are now taking place back at the Black Horse and already John Rose & Co have enjoyed a splendid lunch whilst we repaired some leaky valves and popped a few stitches in his envelope. This editions picture is Mark Shem’s garden in posh Henley just before the Thames started to drop. Its not as bad as it looks as his house is built on stilts. Thanks very much for visiting and please stay and have a look around. We hope you enjoy the site and at least some of the articles make you smile. Best regards Alice, Jane, John and Chris