Occasional stories and pictures of relevance....
Chairmans 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. 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. Thats all from me for now, * No, hang on, I think it might be already be here. Bits and Pieces Farmers Draw 2004: As usual the farmers draw will be made
at the Humber Bridge meet, so please can everyone bring in their draw
cards or send them to Phil Traviss. The independent adjudicators voted for Andrea and Normans caption: For Sale. 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 its
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 dont
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 doesnt 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. 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 Fridays 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 wasnt 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 hadnt 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 years
SCOOPs so its 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. Richard NWBAC MEET MANCHESTER AIRPORT 6.7.8 AUGUST I didnt 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
regions gathering at Manchester Airport in early August. Now you have to admit that the UKs 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 Manchesters Aviation Viewing Park within marker chucking
distance of the ex British Airways Concorde G-BOAC. If youre long
enough in the tooth youll remember BOAC as the predecessor of
BA
shows just how long shes 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 wasnt keen on mixing
77s with 777s unless we did it before four-thirty am! So,
taking a leaf out of Pennine Regions 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 "Its
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. Im 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. A great weekend, big "Thank Yous" 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. NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Agenda 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. This car window sticker, kindly donated by Crispen 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, "Never mind dear its only a commercial
..rabbit
rabbit rabbit ! " By himself. The old TEDF .................................... and
the new FVEL Earlier SCOOPS This years meet will run from the "Pearson Park Hotel"
which is located at: The hotel can be viewed at www.mgrleisure.com/pearson/index.html. The hotel can be located from the following link: 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 Farmers
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 years Brass Monkey has a hotel in a more traditional location
Harrogate and the Rooms available at £60 for a double / twin room please quote
PRBA to get this rate. The hotel can be found with the following link: The Launch site will be at Rudding Park. Please send the menu form and the balloon entry form to Terry Marsden.
(Download forms here) Please contact Rita for your Pennine, Free copies are being sent out separately from the Scoop and will be
with you in the next few days.
Extracts
from SCOOP
October 2004
Please make sure any landing cards you still have reach us before the
draw at the Humber Bridge meet.
Phil.
Caption Contest winners.
"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.
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

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.

My thanks to Andrew Marshall for this months front cover photo
from his trip to Luxembourg and the write-up.
Summer is supposed to be the quiet time for news and politics, but not
so in ballooning it seems. Weve 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.
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.
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 is hereby given that this years AGM of the Pennine Region
Balloon Association will be held at The Kimberley Hotel on Sunday 2nd
January 2005 at 6.00pm.
Apologies for absence
Minutes of the AGM held on 27th December 2003
Matters arising from above
Chairmans Report
Treasurers Report
"IN DAYS OF YORE"
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.
the ads certainly fixed and they havent beaten inflation
!


Dates
for your Diary
Humber Bridge Meet. 20th 21st November
2004
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.
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?pc=HU52TQ&cat=hot&title=Pearson+Park+Hotel
"Kimberley Hotel" which is located at:
11-19 Kings Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 5JY
Contact 0800 7837642 E-mail
info@thekimberley.co.uk
The hotel can be viewed at www.thekimberley.co.uk
http://uk.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=europe&lon=-1.5400001&lat=53.99879837&cat=hot&icon=X
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.

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.
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.