Latest blog entries from the team

Nige and Bob Don Their Bikinis
Nige and Bob | 1 year 35 weeks ago | 0 comment(s)

We left Tallard at 2am after a successful and emotionally charged launch. We have driven through the night so we are both extremely tired but the weather and mountain scenery of the Bernese Oberland is extraordinary.

I am thoroughly enjoying Nige’s mega mix music collection.

One slight problem is that the air con in the car has stopped working so we have had to strip down to our bikinis!!!

We are planning a break shortly to grab some breakfast before getting back on the road.

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Waiting for the sun to rise
Clive | 1 year 36 weeks ago | 0 comment(s)

Now 3:30 am, the guys are doing well, have clearance from Milan ATC to transit airspace, cruising at 15,000 feet on oxygen and spirits are high, the view over the Alps was fantastic but they were happy not to be flying over the high peaks, eagerly awaiting sunrise to warm up a bit. Luc is sleeping for a couple of hours and wewill look at the game plan at 5:30

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It's going to be a long night
Luc | 1 year 36 weeks ago | 0 comment(s)

This year the GB will be difficult because of bad weather developing over France and also with the launch in the Alps.

The first night will be fantastic flying over the Alps in the full moon.

A lot of work is required tonight to plan tomorrow to avoid the showers which will develop over the Alps and Germany.

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And They're Off
Clive | 1 year 36 weeks ago | 0 comment(s)

GB1 take off 21:40Z, the race is on, good luck boys

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Time to tidy up then I'm off to bed!
Support Team | 1 year 36 weeks ago | 0 comment(s)

 

Bt Dave Boxall

We've just launched Simon & Hemp at around 2330 local time. They have 34 1/2 bags of sand on board, but expect to throw half of them out tonight as they climb over the alps.

After I've cleared up the 1/2 ton of sand they left behind I'm off to bed!

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Count down begins, but what will the weather bring?
Clive | 1 year 36 weeks ago | 0 comment(s)

We are now waiting for launch, the balloons are inflated and the kit is being loaded, Luc and I are looking very closely at the weather and tracks for tommorow. There is some very bad weather to the west and the speed and track of this may change our game plan.

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Launch Day - Very Exciting
David | 1 year 36 weeks ago | 0 comment(s)

We will be second in the launch sequence later on tonight which is very exciting. Dave, Nigel and Bob are on the field getting the balloon ready. They will start to inflate at about 4pm.

Simon and I are checking the oxygen and everything else. We’ve got all our favourite food supplies to keep us going on the flight – licorice, ginger biscuits and soup.

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Thank God for Computers!
Clive | 1 year 36 weeks ago | 0 comment(s)

The control centre at the Bristol Hotel is now set up, it's great to have lots of space to work. the launch tonight has been confirmed so we are busy calculating weights and tracks, what would we do without computers!!

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Not Exactly First Class!
Support Team | 1 year 36 weeks ago | 0 comment(s)

By Dave Boxall

We got a taxi to Bristol Airport this morning and caught an Easy Jet flight to Nice, no expenses spared on this trip!

My role is to put the balloon together and get it filled with gas ready to launch. I will also have to remind David and Simon how to fly the balloon as they haven’t flown it since last year.

I’m really looking forward to seeing them fly off, plus it means I can then get a nap as it will probably be around midnight on Saturday.

Of course, I’ll be in contact with Clive in HQ before I get some kip.

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Will This Be The Most Competitive Gordon Bennett?
David | 1 year 36 weeks ago | 0 comment(s)

Last year, even though the Gordon Bennett was launched from British soil we were never as organised as we wanted to be. This year we are on top of all the preparations which I’m happy about. It looks like we are on track in a lot of respects but it will be harder to fly from the launch sight in the South of France as we’ll be at altitude and there are mountains all around. If we have to climb high then the flight will be a shorter duration as we will have to use more sand earlier on.

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