 | With help from Andy Booth at Cameron Balloons and my family, I designed and made our first model balloon (left) in august 2008 with a four week deadline. We decided on our red and yellow colour scheme after, by poular vote, finding that it was one of the most noticeable and attractive dual colour combinations available. Andy Booth cut the fabric and my mum began to sew it together, meanwhile I had completely designed the bottom end and had started to weave the basket. To weave the basket I used 2 mm thick rattan and by the time I had finneshed weaving the basket the envelope was sewn, over the next few days my dad and I had fitted the high quiality tanks, burner and radio control system. The balloons maiden flight was the morning of the Bristol Balloon Fiesta 2008. |
After bristol balloon fiesta we started to build a second model balloon, this time however the balloon is a hopper (one man balloon) and the colour scheme has been reversed. Our first balloon was designed with highly controlable ascent/descent rates in mind, the bottom end was built specifically for the envelope making the balloon very controlable. Our second balloon was designed for endurance flying, with only a two liter tank, this balloon nearly doubles our first balloon's fuel consumption, able to stay in the air for over 45 minutes depite having only half as much fuel...
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