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Extracts from SCOOP October 2004
 

Chairman’s Message

Hello. With the approach of* the soggy season, your Committee and I have been considering how to keep you amused. We hope the meets through the year have been good, and the remainder will be equally attended. We have lined up Terry Marsden to entertain you at the Humber Bridge meet as after dinner speaker. We are trying to get Pearson Park itself to launch from, but at the time of writing this is not confirmed. We have one alternate so far, and are working on another. The first formal briefing will be at 08:00 Saturday morning at the Hotel.
Please make sure any landing cards you still have reach us before the draw at the Humber Bridge meet.

If anyone happens to be in the Harrogate area on 27th or 28th October, look out for the ‘Monster.com’ balloon, who, I am reliably informed, will be overflying the town and attempting a tether on the Stray.

That’s all from me for now,
Phil.

* No, hang on, I think it might be already be here.


Bits and Pieces

Farmer’s Draw 2004: As usual the farmer’s draw will be made at the Humber Bridge meet, so please can everyone bring in their draw cards or send them to Phil Traviss.
Caption Contest winners.

The independent adjudicators voted for Andrea and Norman’s caption:
"Great for retrieve, a bit slow on the motorway". So they win the prize, a bottle of flying pig wine. Could be brought to Brass Monkey.

For Sale.
1 PAIR OF WESTFALIA FRONT CANOPY HINGES IN MANUFACTURER'S PACKING.
BOUGHT FOR A JOB AND NOT USED. NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED.
Contact DAVE ALLUM. 01482 854030


Mobilux 2004

The Mobilux trophy has been held in Luxembourg (Mobilux is the national mobile phone network of Luxembourg) for over ten years and is in it’s own right a fantastic spectacle of competition ballooning. This meet is combined with the world Honda Grand Prix, an event that is held every year in three parts. The first in the USA, second at the Mobilux and the third in Montegi, Japan. This is the third year I have been lucky enough to attend as crew with Crispin Williams as part of team `Atlantic’ a 2 pilot team of an American and a Brit.

This year saw a change of venue for the Mobilux Trophy. Based around the historic town of Echternach on the German border and set in the spectacular scenery in an area of the Luxembourg referred to as `little Switzerland’. The event included several fly-ins including using a 100 meter diameter man made island in the centre of a lake as a scoring area, markers in the water are classed as out of bounds and don’t score! Entry is limited to 30 competitors who come from as far away as Brazil, Japan, America and the Ukraine!

The weather proved to be excellent with a settled area of high pressure developed over main land Europe as we travelled down at the beginning of the week. We met up with our international crew, our Belgian friend Brigete, she speaks 5 languages, which is kind of useful on the retrieve. We quickly settled into the holiday routine – Up at 4, breakfast, briefing, fly, fuel, feed and sleep (it doesn’t matter if it is 4am or 4pm). By the end of the event on the Sunday evening we had flown 8 out of 8 available slots. Two key grabs and a nightglow were held as well as the main competition, these were based around the man made island in the lake keeping both sponsors and public well entertained.
Both of the key grabs and the Mobilux Trophy were won by Luxembourg pilots, (something to do with playing at home I think) Claude Sauber taking the Mobilux in his Cameron Turbo Racer, while the Honda grand prix was lead into the final stage by Uwe Schneider of Germany with a lead of just 5 points.

This is the way all ballooning holidays should be, great weather, fantastic flights, excellent company, and ice creams on the launch site.

Andrew Marshall

 


Editorial

Driffield was another successful meet. Possibly the best ever Driffield for flying once Friday’s wind had passed through. Saturday evening saw the launch of 7 balloons, followed by a terrific night for a glow I was told. I was elsewhere in some distant field as the smoke from the steam engines was rising vertical. Thanks must go out to Dave Allum and his team for organising this event and hopefully not the last.

Last years Lowther meet was in the deer park, which wasn’t available this year. The new location was nearer to a pub but by the end of the wet and windy weekend was only fit as a hippo reserve.

Only one balloon from the NWBAC flew no prizes for guessing which one. On the Lowther challenge front the PRBA darts team gave the NWBAC team a good thrashing at the darts board.

Barnoldswick came next with a similar event to last year but without the thunderstorm, fewer attractions and not even an ice cream van for the warm afternoon. But the nightglow went off well and the crowds seemed happy with the spectacle.

Pocklington seemed to go down well with both balloonist and glider pilots and a number of exchanges managed to take place. A confident vote was made to go again next year. There might have been more balloon flights if it hadn’t been for the wind that took a few by surprise, get well soon.

The SCOOP trophy has been purchased and will be presented at the same time as the Brass Monkey, only difference is the winner gets to keep the prize. I will be running a similar contest during next year’s SCOOPs so it’s back to you.

The caption contest has also produced some response with a few replies trickling in to the editorial from the brave. See results from the independent judges.
My thanks to Andrew Marshall for this month’s front cover photo from his trip to Luxembourg and the write-up.

Richard


NWBAC MEET MANCHESTER AIRPORT 6.7.8 AUGUST

Summer is supposed to be the quiet time for news and politics, but not so in ballooning it seems. We‚ve had meets/events scheduled for our region or in our next door neighbours patch, Northwest region almost every weekend since the beginning of July, Halifax, Thirsk, Castle Howard, Burnley, Shavington, Manchester Airport, and still to come Driffield, nr.Lowther Park, Barnoldswick and Pocklington.

I didn‚t make all the meets up to now, but there seem to be good numbers attending everywhere and some "old friends" making appearances especially for tether slots. Such was the case at the Northwest region‚s gathering at Manchester Airport in early August.

Now you have to admit that the UK‚s third busiest airport is an unlikely venue for balloons, we do tend to want a healthy breathing space between the rip-stop and those giant hair dryers that propel most airliners these days. Thanks to Northwest P.U.T. Austin Higginbottom and his crew, one Peter Hampson (who also happens to be Manchester Airport Operations Manager! and a long time aviation enthusiast) a meet was arranged on Manchester’s Aviation Viewing Park within marker chucking distance of the ex British Airways Concorde G-BOAC. If you’re long enough in the tooth you’ll remember BOAC as the predecessor of BA…shows just how long she’s been around.

Balloonists began to assemble on the campsite on Friday evening, with the first free flight being scheduled for Saturday morning. However, the air traffic controller on duty on Saturday wasn’t keen on mixing 77’s with 777’s unless we did it before four-thirty am! So, taking a leaf out of Pennine Region’s book (remember Humber Bridge at Pocklington?) the sponsor. G M T V. (Greater Manchester Touring Vehicles) had us move, via the M56 and M60 to Barton Airfield where several other crews were already assembled, must be a regular pick up point! A met balloon from here said landings at Old Trafford but everyone said "no thanks" and off we went again, this time via the M60 and M6 northwards to Park Hall, Charnock Richard, latterly famous as the setting of "It’s a Knockout". Here at last, with no more Jokers left to play, six balloons were able to fly free. A return to Manchester Airport via the M6 and M56 ended the tour.

The master plan for the rest of the weekend was to con the weather into staying calm thus allowing balloons to tether as an added attraction for the public, who, on a nice day visit the aviation viewing park in their hundreds. Bit of a tall order, but this time it worked, a steady stream of seventeen balloons tethered in warm sunshine and although it became a little gusty, much of the turbulence seemed to come from aircraft taking off. After a free trip aboard and around Concorde and a free barbecue it was back to work with six balloons inflating for a glow. I’m not sure what pilots and passengers made of it all as they taxied by but it looked first class with Concorde floodlit as the back-cloth.
Sunday proved to be hotter than Saturday, but with a wind far too strong for tethering only one envelope emerged for a C of A. The Pennine Region contingent joined half of Manchester, plane- watching.

A great weekend, big "Thank You’s" to Austin, Peter and all at Manchester Airport.

Balloons attending…Sat. free flying at Park Hall G-BUDK, G-BVMR, G-BWFK, G-HOTI, G-STOK, G-SUCK.
Sat. tether. G-BMKY, G-BMYN, G-BNET, G-BRCO, G-BTRX, G-BUDK, G-BVPV, G-BWYP, G-BZBI,
G-HOST, G-NEPB, G-NWPR, G-RAYO, G-SLAC, G-SNOW, G-TEDF, G-WDEB.
Sun. C of A G-BTXV.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING


Notice is hereby given that this year’s AGM of the Pennine Region Balloon Association will be held at The Kimberley Hotel on Sunday 2nd January 2005 at 6.00pm.

Agenda
Apologies for absence
Minutes of the AGM held on 27th December 2003
Matters arising from above
Chairman’s Report
Treasurer’s Report

Election of Officers: Any member willing and wishing to stand for election must be nominated to the secretary in writing and seconded by one member of the PRBA before December 10th.

Any item submitted to the secretary in writing and in the form to be presented before Dec 10th.

Any other business, notified to the Chairman before the meeting opens and accepted at his discretion.

Janice Stace, 37 Barff Lane, Brayton, Selby. Y08 9ET.



"IN DAYS OF YORE"

This car window sticker, kindly donated by Crispen
Williams it depicts Cameron N-77 G-NBSI, which was
Built in 1978. Nottingham Building Society continued to sponsor the balloon until 2000. Perhaps the stickers were handed out when the balloon landed. Does anyone know when "Sheffield" was dropped from the title?
I like the "Balloon kindly loaned by" – anybody else loaning balloons. Roger Rabbit
Hopefully G-NBSI will be at Thirsk next year for all to see in the tether. We tried for the thatched cottage but apparently it needs a new roof.


Halifax :- the Building Society, not the balloon meet.

Have you noticed the tethered balloon in their fixed rate mortgage adverts? Six point tether, no burner and no pilot,
the ad’s certainly fixed and they haven’t beaten inflation !

"Never mind dear it’s only a commercial……..rabbit rabbit rabbit ! "

By himself.

The old TEDF .................................... and the new FVEL

Earlier SCOOPS

Feb 2004

April 2004

June 2004

August 2004

 
Dates for your Diary
Humber Bridge Meet. 20th 21st November 2004

This year’s meet will run from the "Pearson Park Hotel" which is located at:
70-72 Pearson Park, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU5 2TQ.
Contact Tel 01482 343043, E-Mail pearson.park@mgrleisure.com to book your rooms.
10 rooms have been made available a £40 per double/twin room but you must quote PRBA to get your room at this rate.

The hotel can be viewed at www.mgrleisure.com/pearson/index.html.

The hotel can be located from the following link:
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?pc=HU52TQ&cat=hot&title=Pearson+Park+Hotel

The hotel will provide a room for pilot briefings at 8.00am Saturday and Sunday mornings and 1.00pm on Saturday. Balloons provisionally launching from Pearson Park (subject to approvals) or alternative.

The Saturday "Hot air balloon dinner" is 7.30pm for 8.00pm followed by speaker Terry Marsden at 9.15 until about 10.00pm. The Farmer’s draw will also be made at this gathering.

Please send the menu form and the balloon entry form to Terry Marsden. (Download forms here)


Brass Monkey Meet. 2nd 3rd January 2005

This year’s Brass Monkey has a hotel in a more traditional location Harrogate and the
"Kimberley Hotel" which is located at:
11-19 Kings Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 5JY
Contact 0800 7837642 E-mail info@thekimberley.co.uk

Rooms available at £60 for a double / twin room please quote PRBA to get this rate.
The hotel can be viewed at www.thekimberley.co.uk

The hotel can be found with the following link:
http://uk.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=europe&lon=-1.5400001&lat=53.99879837&cat=hot&icon=X

The Launch site will be at Rudding Park.
The Briefings should be in the hotel bar area at 8.00am Sunday and Monday mornings and 1.00pm Sunday afternoon.
The AGM will be at this meet at 6.00pm on the Sunday followed by a dinner at 8.00pm and the after-dinner speaker - Mr Don Cameron, no less - is at 10.00pm.

Please send the menu form and the balloon entry form to Terry Marsden. (Download forms here)




 

Please contact Rita for your Pennine,
Stickers, patches, metal badges.
AND THE
25TH Anniversary Booklet
BALLOONING THE PENNINE WAY

(above).
After discussions it was decided to issue the 25th Anniversary Booklet free of charge to all 2003 PRBA members and to issue a complimentary copy to all those past members who sent in contributions.

Free copies are being sent out separately from the Scoop and will be with you in the next few days.

Price £3.00 (inc.p&p) for extra copies and non-members.
Send orders and cheques, made payable to PRBA, to:
Mrs R Marshall, 7 Wynford Rise, Leeds, LS16 6HX.