COPYRIGHT FIREFLY HOT AIR BALLOON TEAM 2008
14 June 2009
LAUNCH SITE: Weyhill. LANDED AT: Winchester
FLIGHT DETAILS: Distance 12 kilometers, Flight time 1 hour 20 mins, Maximum altitude 4250ft, Maximum climb 500ft, Maximum rate of descent 600ft
CREW: Dave Sillence (driver), Richard Phillips (navigator)
FLYING: Jon Francis (pilot), Margaret Parker and Wendy Sillence
We used the field behind the pub called the Weyhill Fair at Weyhill, just to the West of Andover.
Conditions were a bit thermic, the take off was delayed until 19.20 and we rolled a little during the inflation.
The track was excellent and took us over the South of Andover heading East. The weather was perfect – blue sky, sunshine and a gradient wind of 9 knots.
On the way up to 4000’ we entered a very cold layer and could have done with a fleece. Good views of Southampton and the Isle of Wight.
We flew close to the radio telescope at Chilbolton and over the airstrip at Crawley Down, looking straight down at the aircraft from 400’.
A paramotor flew around us a couple of times – lots of waving from us. We flew over the A34 and landed on a landfill site just North of Winchester. It was an interesting approach, there was a large earth bank across our path and at the edge of the site. It looked difficult and the turning vents had to be used to keep the basket straight but we slid over the bank and had an easy landing. Looking back, the bank was higher than we had realised.
The paramotor pilot landed in an adjacent field and came across for a chat.
Dave and Richard had been with us throughout the flight and were with us within 5 mins of touchdown.
We all agreed the flight had been one of the nicest for a long time and the sunset was magnificent.
