Ashton Court (46th Bristol International Balloon Fiesta) & Redfield, Bristol – Sunday 11th August 2024 (Grant Robinson)

Hi all,

4:30am departure from Abingdon with Gill and Jet and then picking up Graham & Sue Allen, saw a 6am arrival at the car park in Long Ashton, for the short walk to the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta launch site. Winds were really light this morning and heading away from the city and towards the River Severn – low, slow and short flights for those that went up this morning from Ashton Court.

There were at least 16 others that had launched from elsewhere on the Eastern outskirts of Bristol with a lot of these taking part in the British National Hot Air Balloon Championships – the task was to overfly the launch site and drop streamers down to see who could get closest to the white x on the ground. Rather than focus on the fact that only one of the competitors got anywhere near the launch site, I have to salute the airmanship skills of those piloting G-CMNF, G-INZZ & Virgin passenger carrier G-VBBF who managed to land in the launch site – first time I have ever seen that in all my years of going to this event. The other Virgin passenger carrier G-VBAU got reasonably close too.

All the photographs taken here can be seen at;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62861611@N08/albums/72177720319457966

46th Bristol International Balloon Fiesta morning launch:
G-BTHF, Cameron V-90 (2543)
G-BVBK, Colt SS Flying Coffee Jar 2 (2428)
G-BZYY, Cameron N-90 (10130)
G-CBVD, Cameron C-60 (10338)
G-CCJH, Lindstrand LBL.90A (906)
G-CDDN, Lindstrand LBL.90A (903)
G-CDXW, Cameron 120 SS Orange (2947)
G-CEUV, Cameron C-90 (11078)
G-CFEK, Cameron Z-105 (11176)
G-CGFY, Lindstrand LBL.105A (1179)
G-CHXS, Cameron C-90 (11754)
G-CIHO, Cameron Z-77 (11813)
G-CIZM, Cameron Z-210 (11936)
G-CJIH, Lindstrand Technologies LTL Series 1-105 (016)
G-CJLT, Cameron O-84 (12044)
G-CJRO, Cameron Z-105 (12055)
G-CJWY, Cameron O-31 (12071)
G-CJXJ, Cameron Z-105 (12027)
G-CKTG, Balony Kubicek BB 26E (1426)
G-CKWW, Cameron Sport 50 (12192)
G-CLCC, Cameron Sport 90 (12234)
G-CLGK, Ultramagic M-105 (105/236)
G-CLHV, Cameron Z-105 (12304)
G-CLMM, Cameron Sport 70 (12345)
G-CLNX, Balony Kubicek BB 18E (1728)
G-CLZI, Cameron Z-133 (12455)
G-CMBU, Cameron Z-90 (12476)
G-CMLH, Diamond Hot Air Balloons P90 L (DB-SN-013)
G-CMLR, Cameron Z-105 (12546)
G-CMND, Cameron Z-140 (12589)
G-CMNN, Ultramagic N-180 (180/165)
G-CMOO, Cameron Z-31 Cow (12521)
G-CMSB, Cameron O-90 (12643)
G-CMTW, Cameron Z-210 (12670)
G-CMVB, Cameron Z-105 (12669)
G-CMVF, Cameron Z-105 (12700)
G-COAT, Cameron Z-90 (12492)
G-DBOI, Diamond Hot Air Balloons S-77 (DB-SN-007)
G-EDAM, Ultramagic M-77C (77/427)
G-ESMI, Cameron Z-90 (12433)
G-FWRK, Cameron Z-105 (12464)
G-GAGE, Cameron Z-105 (12038)
G-HRDY, Cameron Z-105 SS (11849)
G-HUBO, Cameron Z-105 (12559)
G-JEMS, Ultramagic S-90 (90/143)
G-JIMA, Cameron Z-105 (12321)
G-MILE, Cameron Z-90 (10548)
G-MOWW, Cameron Z-105 (12459)
G-NFVB, Cameron Z-105 (12107)
G-OFAA, Cameron Z-105 (10886)
G-OMDD, Thunder & Colt AX.8 (4345)
G-OMIB, Diamond Hot Air Balloons Character-48 Alien (DB-SN-005)
G-OPBW, Cameron Z-150 (11891)
G-PURP, Lindstrand LBL.90A (1387)
G-RECL, Cameron Z-105 (12239)
G-SHAD, Cameron Z-90 (12437)
G-SJKR, Lindstrand LBL.90A (756)
G-UWEB, Cameron Z-120 (11927)
G-ZOIZ, Ultramagic M-105 (105/185)
PH-RWK, Cameron Z-210 (12555)

British National Hot Air Balloon Championships competitors noted flying from another site:
G-CMNF, Balony Kubicek BB 60Z (919)
G-INZZ, Cameron Z-105 (12417)
G-VBBF, Cameron A-400 (12520)
G-VBAU, Cameron A-400 (12153)

EC-OED, Ultramagic M-60Z (60/05)
G-CKGI, Ultramagic M-77C (77/300)
G-CLDJ, Lindstrand Technologies LTL Racer 60 (098)
G-CLHS, Ultramagic M-65C (65/228)
G-CMEY, Cameron TR-65 (12515)
G-DANJ, Cameron TR-65 (12324)
G-HUKS, Balony Kubicek BB 22XR (1338)
G-OINT, Balony Kubicek BB 20XR (993)
G-PAID, Ultramagic M-65C (65/237)
OO-BAB, Ultramagic M-77 (77/394)
VH-FEQ, Kavanagh EX-60 (EX60-492)