High Road Balloons are holding a Hot Air Balloon event at Shenington Gliding Club.
'Balloons and Gliders' is a grass roots hot air balloon and gliding meet where we will be flying 2 slots on Sunday 20th July. We will be flying at dawn and dusk – and during the day gliders will be taking to the skies. If the weather is good on Saturday 19th July we will launch the event with an evening flight.
All balloons are welcome, there is no entry fee and gas is at cost price. What we are trying to achieve here is a great day – with some good flights and the opportunity to swap some balloon flights for gliding. If we can take some of the Shenington Gliding Club members up in our balloons, they will return the favour and take some balloonists for a flight.
We went gliding the other day at Shenington and it was really good fun. We had a aero-tow each, rather than a winch launch. The aero-tow is rather gentle, 'The ladies way' they call it. I loved it. We released at about 2000ft and went off to find some thermals. This was quite an unusual feeling as us balloonists avoid the bumpy clouds entirely! We were soaring round and round up and up then down and round….you get the gist of it. Searching for the big lift. We certainly found some on a few occasions. Gliding from big lumpy cloud to another – trying to keep the lift and stay in the air. With no engines it was quite an bizarre sensation. The landing was very exciting too – descending steeply and keeping the speed up, I was quietly wondering if this was normal? The ground came very close very quickly – but my pilot Jane was fantastic. She rounded out at the bottom and we flew horizontally for a little while then she gently bumped it down. I must say it was far gentler than any jet plane landing i have ever experienced – especially with Easy Jet!
So – my general feeling about gliding is – try it, you might like it! I did. Come along to the 'Balloon and Gliders Grass Roots Meet' being held at Shenington Gliding Club on July 19th and/or 20th for some fun and 'swappsie' flying.
Mary and the gang at the Gliding club are super friendly and are really keen to get more people to experience gliding – like the High Road Balloon Team, they are passionate about their sport / activity and like to share the experience with others. The club house has a fully stocked bar and we are hoping to have a BBQ on the Saturday night and during the day on Sunday – weather permitting.
If you are interested in coming along or if you want to know anything you can,
call: 01527 857 013 email: info@highroadballoons.co.uk or take a look at balloon events on www.bbac.org
If you want to turn up on the day (with or without balloon) you can find us here: Shenington Airfield, Oxfordshire, OX15 6NY
There is plenty of space for camping and caravans – if you want to come on Saturday and be ready early for a dawn flight, the club has good facilities – toilets and showers. We look forward to seeing you – all welcome.