With the Tiverton Balloon and Music Festival on the horizon Devon Life took to the skies above mid Devon with Aerosaurus Balloons to learn a few things about the activity.
There are just a few days before the annual Tiverton Balloon and Music Festival, so what better time to leave the ground behind and find out more about hot air ballooning in Devon. Here’s what we learned:
They start early: Our flight with Aerosaurus meant setting an early alarm clock to be ready for a 5.30am pre-flight briefing at the Tiverton campus of Petroc college.
A small black helium-filled balloon was released into the sky and closely watched to see which direction the wind would take it when it got higher into the air.
That determined the wind direction and led to a decision to launch near Willand and fly back towards Tiverton.
There’s no steering wheel: the balloon is at the mercy of the winds and the flying skills of the pilot. Luckily Arthur Street, who was at the controls of our balloon, has some 3,000 hours balloon flying experience, as well as over 15,000 on fixed wing aircraft.
The views are incredible: You could spend hours looking down from the balloon basket watching wildlife, looking at mysterious markings in fields, breathing in the crisp morning air and identifying landmarks like the Grand Western Canal, Blundell’s School or the National Trust’s Knightshayes estate.
Nobody seems to notice you: OK, commuters on the M5 probably clocked three big hot air balloons drifting overhead, but it felt as though you could drift silently above the rooftops of homes in villages and towns and not be observed by the occupants – perhaps they were all asleep or eating breakfast.
The aircraft did attract the attention of some horses and cattle, but none seemed alarmed – merely curious.
You land where you can: in our case a farmer’s field near Tiverton which had been cut for hay, the grass and clover lying in neat rows. Arthur gave us a perfect gentle touchdown near Loxbeare. This was followed by a diplomatic visit to the farmhouse to ask for permission to deflate the balloon there.
It’s hard work: there’s plenty of work to be done both in getting the balloon ready for take off and packing it up again at the end of the flight – but well worth it for the amazing experience.
Tiverton Balloon and Music Festival is on 10, 11 and 12 July and includes mass balloon ascents on each day, fire and light shows, two music stages, food festival, trade stands and falconry displays. Learn more at the Tiverton Balloon and Music Festival website.
Aerosaurus Balloons flies from over 20 locations in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire.
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