Virgin Balloon Flight
10th May 2008

The present Mrs Jones achieved one of her ambitions when she took a flight in a Hot Air Balloon, courtesy of a birthday present purchased from Virgin. It meant an very early start to get to Stanford Hall in Northamptonshire, from where the balloon took off. Although all went smoothly (and apparently the flight was very smooth), there was a not a great deal of wind, meaning the flight didn't actually go as far as one might have hoped, also visibility from the air was not brilliant. This collection of photos shows the preparation and take-off and also the packing away after landing

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5.51am - Support vehicle with basket and everything else!
5.51am - Support vehicle with basket and everything else!
 The basket on the trailer
The basket on the trailer
 A closer look at the burners
A closer look at the burners
 6.01am - Support crew and volunteer passengers start to move the basket off the trailer
6.01am - Support crew and volunteer passengers start to move the basket off the trailer
The basket begins to move
The basket begins to move
 The basket will now slide off the trailer
The basket will now slide off the trailer
 A view inside the basket - four passenger compartments
A view inside the basket - four passenger compartments
 In the centre of the basket are the gas canisters
In the centre of the basket are the gas canisters
On the trailer are the fans which will inflate the balloon
On the trailer are the fans which will inflate the balloon
 6.04am - The basket has to be turned onto its side
6.04am - The basket has to be turned onto its side
 The basket is now on its side
The basket is now on its side
 6.05am - Believe it or not, the balloon is in this bag!
6.05am - Believe it or not, the balloon is in this bag!
Here it comes, out of the bag
Here it comes, out of the bag
 The balloon has been laid out up to the basket
The balloon has been laid out up to the basket
 For stability, the basket is now attached to the support vehicle
For stability, the basket is now attached to the support vehicle
 Support crew member Neil climbs onto the basket to secure it
Support crew member Neil climbs onto the basket to secure it
6.09am - Now Neil starts attaching the balloon to the basket
6.09am - Now Neil starts attaching the balloon to the basket
 The balloon has been stretched out to its full length
The balloon has been stretched out to its full length
 Crew and passengers now have to open out the balloon
Crew and passengers now have to open out the balloon
 It's all hands to the pump to open out the balloon
It's all hands to the pump to open out the balloon
Now some idea of the size of the balloon can be seen
Now some idea of the size of the balloon can be seen
 6.16am - Shaun the pilot makes further connections between basket and balloon
6.16am - Shaun the pilot makes further connections between basket and balloon
 The fans have been unloaded in readiness for inflation
The fans have been unloaded in readiness for inflation
 A closer view of some hooks and straps
A closer view of some hooks and straps
6.18am - Time for Neil to give some passenger briefing
6.18am - Time for Neil to give some passenger briefing
 The mouth of the balloon is being opened up, ready for inflation
The mouth of the balloon is being opened up, ready for inflation
 6.21am - The fans are being moved closer to the balloon
6.21am - The fans are being moved closer to the balloon
 6.22am - The fans begin the job of filling the balloon with tons of cold air
6.22am - The fans begin the job of filling the balloon with tons of cold air
6.24am - Inflation can be seen to be working
6.24am - Inflation can be seen to be working
 6.25am - The top of the balloon is the deflation port, and the panel must be replaced before the balloon will fill with air
6.25am - The top of the balloon is the deflation port, and the panel must be replaced before the balloon will fill with air
 The basket can be seen through the length of the balloon from the deflation panel
The basket can be seen through the length of the balloon from the deflation panel
 G-VBFI is a Cameron Z-350 Balloon, manufactured in 2007
G-VBFI is a Cameron Z-350 Balloon, manufactured in 2007
6.27am - The inflated balloon is beginning to take shape
6.27am - The inflated balloon is beginning to take shape
 6.29am - Seven minutes' inflation so far
6.29am - Seven minutes' inflation so far
 The recognisable shape of the balloon is nearly there
The recognisable shape of the balloon is nearly there
 6.32am - Shaun turns on the burners
6.32am - Shaun turns on the burners
The burners continue to heat the air inside the balloon
The burners continue to heat the air inside the balloon
 6.32am - The basket is pulled upright
6.32am - The basket is pulled upright
 Now the balloon is upright, whilst the burners continue to heat the air
Now the balloon is upright, whilst the burners continue to heat the air
 6.33am - All aboard! Time for the passengers to clamber into the basket
6.33am - All aboard! Time for the passengers to clamber into the basket
A view from underneath the balloon
A view from underneath the balloon
 6.35am - The Virgin Balloon is almost ready
6.35am - The Virgin Balloon is almost ready
 Neil checks that all the passengers are comfortable inside the basket
Neil checks that all the passengers are comfortable inside the basket
 Neil unties the basket from the support vehicle
Neil unties the basket from the support vehicle
6.42am - Lift-off!
6.42am - Lift-off!
 Slowly, the balloon begins to rise
Slowly, the balloon begins to rise
 Slowly but surely the balloon rises above the trees
Slowly but surely the balloon rises above the trees
 Shaun turns on the burners to assist with the ascent
Shaun turns on the burners to assist with the ascent
6.45am - The balloon looks much smaller now as it drifts away
6.45am - The balloon looks much smaller now as it drifts away
 6.55am - Height continues to be gained
6.55am - Height continues to be gained
 Time for Neil to consult the OS map for possible landing sites
Time for Neil to consult the OS map for possible landing sites
 6.58am - Now the balloon is only just a dot in the sky
6.58am - Now the balloon is only just a dot in the sky
7.08am - Above the fields north of Swinford, the balloon quietly drifts along
7.08am - Above the fields north of Swinford, the balloon quietly drifts along
 Some early morning sun catches the balloon
Some early morning sun catches the balloon
 7.10am - Another view of the balloon over the countryside
7.10am - Another view of the balloon over the countryside
 The support crew and vehicle wait for an indication of landing details
The support crew and vehicle wait for an indication of landing details
7.29am - Across the fields, Shaun is now clearly looking for a landing site
7.29am - Across the fields, Shaun is now clearly looking for a landing site
 7.38am - Shaun brings the balloon to a safe landing
7.38am - Shaun brings the balloon to a safe landing
 7.40am - Some of the passengers are out of the basket, helping to secure it
7.40am - Some of the passengers are out of the basket, helping to secure it
 The support vehicle pulls up close to the basket
The support vehicle pulls up close to the basket
7.43am - The deflation panel has been removed
7.43am - The deflation panel has been removed
 The balloon has clearly started to deflate
The balloon has clearly started to deflate
 Once again, the basket is on its side
Once again, the basket is on its side
 Somehow, this has to be completely deflated
Somehow, this has to be completely deflated
Crew and passengers begin the task of completing the deflation of the balloon
Crew and passengers begin the task of completing the deflation of the balloon
 7.46am - It is going down, I'm sure!
7.46am - It is going down, I'm sure!
 7.47am - There is little air now left in the balloon (note the black bag into which the balloon must be packed!)
7.47am - There is little air now left in the balloon (note the black bag into which the balloon must be packed!)
 The final pockets of air are dealt with
The final pockets of air are dealt with
Deflation is almost complete
Deflation is almost complete
 Ropes and straps are only slightly tangled
Ropes and straps are only slightly tangled
 Now, of course, the balloon has to be packed back into that black bag
Now, of course, the balloon has to be packed back into that black bag
 The
The "snake" is walked into the bag
8.00am - The bag is clearly getting filled with balloon
8.00am - The bag is clearly getting filled with balloon
 8.04am - The balloon is in, now the bag must be tied up
8.04am - The balloon is in, now the bag must be tied up
 8.06am - The basket is pulled onto the trailer
8.06am - The basket is pulled onto the trailer
 8.12am - In front of the basket is the balloon in its bag, plus the fans
8.12am - In front of the basket is the balloon in its bag, plus the fans
8.13am - Time to celebrate! Shaun dispenses the champagne
8.13am - Time to celebrate! Shaun dispenses the champagne
 Neil has earned his champagne
Neil has earned his champagne
 8.18am - One for the album - two passngers pose with the pilot
8.18am - One for the album - two passngers pose with the pilot
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