This evening was a spectacular flight for our balloon flight over Norfolk but proved to be a real challenge from a pilot’s point of view. Our forecasters confirmed that the wind would be coming in from the northeast with a gentle sea breeze developing. When the wind comes from this direction the air humidity tends to be very low leaving crisp and unrestricted visibility. We launched from west Norfolk and were aloft at 7.10 pm. The balloon ascended to 3,000 feet was we slowed down to 2mph. The views were quite wonderful the whole of the Norfolk coast was in view as was Lincolnshire across the wash the river Nene could be seen all the way to Peterborough with Ely cathedral way out on the horizon. We initiated a descent to pick up the lower level of wind, which was a little quicker- much quicker as we were soon to find out. Below 1200 feet a sea breeze had developed and was quite powerful it was easy to see that all the trees beneath us were well in motion. We make our first approach to land to the north of Feltwell but nothing is really suitable we cross the southery Feltwell road and to our front there appears to be a large expanse of grass OH just too good to be true, and it was. The grass was beautifully managed turf in reality a very valuable crop so we fly on. A radio call to our ground crew to inform them that there is nowhere suitable to land so the message relayed was- go up to Southery down the A10 and meet us at Littleport. After 30 minutes of crossing the fen we spot our crew still no where sensible to land this flight its now 20 minutes to sunset so its command decision time. To our front we were approaching the village of Prickwillow there was an opportunity to land but it was tight between some farm buildings and a headland this field had our name on it. The passengers were told to stow their cameras and adopt landing positions. At one hundred feet we were still running at 12 knots letting the balloon cool just before the buildings and Newton’s law of gravity takes hold. Our all up weight is 1.6 tonnes and soon we have a descent of 220 feet per minute. Interesting to note that the family enjoying their barbecue at the other end of the field start to disperse as they watch our approach, oh ye of little faith. We touch down with a good Bumppp drag 30 meters with the deflation system fully deployed basket gently lays over on its side. Silence for a momement then some giggling so everyone seemed to enjoy our landing after one hour forty minutes in the air. A very big thank you to the farmer and his son who allowed us to retrieve the hot air balloon His name we forgot to record sorry. We toasted the flight with a glass of chilled champagne with the dominating view of Ely cathedral not three miles away
Dear Robert and the Team
I had to write to you to express our thanks for our balloon flight last Friday evening, what an experience we had no idea what to expect and found the whole thing quite breathtaking. Your landing was amazing again I had no idea you could get the balloon down as quickly as you did!!! Well Done
Jane and Mike Chaucher