Ballooning 
Ken the Fireman and the Tale of Two Landings
It had started well enough the evening before. Richard Simpson had finally got to a stage where he needed a check flight to re-validate his licence. You’ve got it, he’d been out of ballooning for years, his kit languishing in the trailer. This was in no part thanks to a bit of a medical problem… Read More ›
Fighting the good fight in Rome – Don Cameron addresses EASA
The 2014 EASA Annual Safety Conference took place on the 15-16 October at Radisson Blu Es Hotel in Rome and as EASA’s widely publicised ongoing efforts towards creating a ‘simpler, lighter, better regulatory framework for General Aviation (GA)’ this formed the basis of the Conference’s debates, lectures and discussions. The two day conference, one of… Read More ›
Little Ships and Sackville Fun – Great times at Grassroots 2014
If you want to find out what the attraction of ballooning is all about then Team Sackville’s Grass Roots Meet is the place to go and, despite not exactly the clearest of weather, it turned out to be every bit as good as it always is. Ballooning has been in the doldrums over the past… Read More ›
Top times at Tivvy 2014 and One Man’s Meet
Aerosaurus sponsored the first Tiverton Balloon Festival in 1988 on the same site as is currently used, when Tiverton hosted the BBAC National Championship. It was a great event although I’m not sure we ever found out who were competing and who were fiesta-ing! We came last without getting any penalty points but that is… Read More ›
Photographs from the Inside
Like many who find themselves around hot air balloons, I’ve been moved to take (more than) the occasional photograph of them: inspired by their enormous, delightful, unlikely and colourful presence. All too often, I wasn’t entirely happy with the images that I ended up with, because – unless you happened to find yourself and the… Read More ›
Classic weather for Classical Music – Leeds Castle is back
Leeds Castle in Kent has been the scene of many a wonderful balloon meet over the years so the announcement by Jem Ballooning’s James McDonald had been asked to organise a bit of a Flyout and Night Glow to accompany Leeds Castle Classical Concert on July 12th was warmly received with ten pilots booking into… Read More ›
Little (and Large) Solo Meet 2014
Little (and Large) Solo Meet 2014 is a HUGE Success… By Dave Such, Event Director The idea behind the first Little (and Large) Solo Meet was conceived while I was attending the Ultramagic UK Grass Roots Balloon Meet last September at Sackville Lodge with my Ultramagic H-42 G-OOCH that I fly with a Thunder &… Read More ›
The Not So Little but Quite Large Meet – more like little, large and small
To be honest the name Little and Large Meet although appearing a simple title was a bit confusing until it was explained that you could bring any balloon providing it was flown solo. Naturally that was going to be ignored and as it turned out bigger brethren with the odd passenger (shock horror) crept in… Read More ›
Lovely Doubly Bubbly – A windy day for a wedding
When the Invitation to attend Ian Chadwick’s wedding plopped through the letterbox we were delighted but then checked and realised the date, 26th April, happened to be the same as the BBM&L Inflation Day. This couldn’t be, Mr Chadwick arranging his wedding on the same day as the Balloon Spotter’s Bi-annaul Bonanza? There had to… Read More ›
Dolly Days and Balloons – Black Horse Easter Meet
The Black Horse Pub at Mobwell, Great Missenden, has changed like no other over the past year or so. The food is probably amongst the best in the area, the staff couldn’t be nicer and the pub itself is warm and inviting. It is no surprise then that following a major make-over and under the… Read More ›