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    • Bristol Balloon Fiesta >
      • 2022 Fiesta
      • 2021 Fiesta
      • 2020 Fiesta
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      • 1998 Fiesta
      • 1990 Fiestas >
        • 1990s - Album 1
        • 1990s - Album 2
        • 1990s - Album 3
        • 1990s - Album 4
        • 1990s - Album 5
        • 1990s - Album 6
        • 1990s - Album 7
        • 1990s - Album 8
        • 1990s - Album 9
        • 1990s - Album 10
        • 1990s - Album 11
      • 1990 Fiesta
      • 1990s Night Glows
      • Late 1980s
      • 1988 Fiesta
      • 1983 Fiesta
      • 1981 Fiesta
      • Mixed Fiesta Photos
    • 2022 Bristol & Bath Flights >
      • 12/01/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 15/01/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 16/01/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 23/01/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 30/01/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 11/02/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 04/03/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 14/03/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 15/03/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 20/03/22 - Orange Inflation at Ashton Court PM
      • 24/03/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 02/04/22 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 08/04/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 09/04/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 10/04/22 - Maize Field AM
      • 10/04/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 13/04/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 14/04/22 - G-LIPS Flight from Ashton Court PM
      • 15/04/22 - Special Shape Tether at Ashton Court
      • 15/04/22 - G-LIPS Flight from Maize Field PM
      • 16/04/22 - G-LIPS Flight from Maize Field PM
      • 18/04/22 - Ashton Court AM
    • 2021 Bristol & Bath Flights >
      • 02/01/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 27/02/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 07/03/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 08/03/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 30/03/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 30/03/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 31/03/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 04/04/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 12/04/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • ​13/04/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • ​13/04/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • ​14/04/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • ​14/04/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • ​16/04/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • ​17/04/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • ​17/04/21 - ​Maize Field PM
      • ​18/04/21 - ​Maize Field AM
      • ​18/04/21 - ​Maize Field PM
      • ​19/04/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • ​20/04/21 - ​Maize Field PM
      • ​26/04/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • ​27/04/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 02/05/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 02/05/21 - Ashton Court Tether AM
      • 07/05/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 07/05/21 - Maize Field Tether
      • 17/05/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 27/05/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 27/05/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 27/05/21 - Maize Field PM
      • 28/05/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 29/05/21 - Maize Field PM
      • ​30/05/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 31/05/21 - Maize Field AM
      • 04/06/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • ​07/06/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 08/06/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 09/06/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 12/06/21 - Bath Balloon Fiesta | Inglescombe Farm PM
      • 13/06/21 - Bath Balloon Fiesta | Glasshouse Playing Fields AM
      • 13/06/21 - Bath Balloon Fiesta | Glasshouse Playing Fields PM
      • 14/06/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 15/06/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 16/06/21 - G-LIPS Tether at Ashton Court PM
      • 17/06/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 23/06/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 23/06/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 26/06/21 - G-DIPI Tether at Ashton Court PM
      • 30/06/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 01/07/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 02/07/21 - Poplar Insulation Tether at Ashton Court AM
      • 02/07/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 08/07/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 09/07/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 10/07/21 - Keynsham PM
      • 14/07/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 14/07/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 15/07/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 16/07/21 - Keynsham PM
      • 17/07/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 17/07/21 - Maize Field PM
      • 18/07/21 - Maize Field AM
      • 18/07/21 - Special Shape Tether at Ashton Court PM
      • 19/07/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 20/07/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 21/07/21 - Maize Field PM
      • 22/07/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 25/07/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 26/07/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 01/08/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 01/08/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 03/08/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 12/08/21 - Dundridge Park AM
      • 22/08/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 23/08/21 - Maize Field PM
      • 25/08/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 27/08/21 - Maize Field AM
      • 03/09/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 04/09/21 - Maize Field PM
      • 05/09/21 - G-LIPS Flight | Maize Field PM
      • 12/09/21 - Maize Field AM
      • 14/09/21 - Keynsham PM
      • 14/09/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 15/09/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 16/09/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 18/09/21 - J&B Bottle Special Shape Tether AM
      • 20/09/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 20/09/21 - Maize Field PM
      • 21/09/21 - Keynsham PM
      • 21/09/21 - Oakhill Recreational Ground, Radstock PM
      • 06/10/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 07/10/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 08/10/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 08/10/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 09/10/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 10/10/21 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 10/10/21 - Keynsham PM
      • 11/10/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 12/10/21 - Keynsham PM
      • 13/10/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 15/10/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 16/10/21 - Keynsham PM
      • 17/10/21 - Ashton Court PM
      • 14/11/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 19/12/21 - Ashton Court AM
      • 26/12/21 - Ashton Court AM
    • 2020 Bristol & Bath Flights >
      • 20/01/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 25/01/20 - Galleon Special Shape Tether AM
      • 27/05/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 30/05/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 02/06/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 07/06/20 - Henbury Tether PM
      • 24/06/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 24/06/20 - Henbury Tether PM
      • 07/07/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 11/07/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 11/07/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • ​12/07/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 12/07/20 - Maize Field Tether
      • 12/07/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 20/07/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 20/07/20 - G-GCCC Flight | Bristol County Ground PM
      • 21/07/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 22/07/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 29/07/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 29/07/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 30/07/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 30/07/20 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 30/07/20 - County Ground PM
      • 02/08/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 04/08/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 07/08/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 07/08/20 - Henbury Night Glow
      • 09/08/20 - Maize Field PM
      • 27/08/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 30/08/20 - WRBBAC Flyout | Timsbury PM
      • 31/08/20 - George Brazil Airship | Havyatt Green AM
      • 31/08/20 - Maize Field PM
      • 01/09/20 - Sky Orchestra | Ashton Court PM
      • 06/09/20 - Key Worker Flight over Bristol AM
      • 10/09/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 10/09/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 11/09/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 12/09/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 13/09/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 14/09/20 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 15/09/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 21/09/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 21/09/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 22/09/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 28/09/20 - Ashton Court AM
      • 28/09/20 - Bristol Balloon Tether | Ashton Court PM
      • 29/09/20 - Wallace & Gromit Rocket Launch | Lloyds Amphitheatre AM
      • 29/09/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 11/10/20 - Ashton Court PM
      • 04/11/20 - Ashton Court AM
    • 2019 Bristol & Bath Flights >
      • 27/02/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 27/02/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 01/03/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 20/03/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 24/03/19 - Maize Field AM
      • 24/03/19 - Upper Swainswick AM
      • 25/03/19 - Maize Field PM
      • 26/03/19 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 26/03/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 27/03/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 28/03/19 - Wraxall PM
      • 29/03/19 - G-UWEB Tether | Ashton Court PM
      • 30/03/19 - Keynsham PM
      • 01/04/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 11/04/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 12/04/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 19/04/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 19/04/19 - Maize Field PM
      • 20/04/19 - Maize Field AM
      • 20/04/19 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 20/04/19 - WRBBAC Flyout | Maize Field PM
      • 21/04/19 - Maize Field AM
      • 21/04/19 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 21/04/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 21/04/19 - Maize Field PM
      • 23/04/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 28/04/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 29/04/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 30/04/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 05/05/19 - Maize Field AM
      • 05/05/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • ​06/05/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 10/05/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 12/05/19 - Maize Field AM
      • 12/05/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 12/05/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 21/05/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 22/05/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 24/05/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 25/05/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 25/05/19 - Bath Balloon Fiesta AM
      • 31/05/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 01/06/19 - Shirehampton PBA Club Fun Day
      • 06/06/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 09/06/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 18/06/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 21/06/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 21/06/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 22/06/19 - G-NORG Airship in Ashton Court AM
      • 25/06/19 - Flight from Maize Field PM
      • 02/07/19 - Flight from Maize Field PM
      • 03/07/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 04/07/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 04/07/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 04/07/19 - Longwell Green Tether PM
      • 05/07/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 05/07/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 06/07/19 - Flight from Ashton Court AM
      • 06/07/19 - Lawrence Weston Tether at LDubstock
      • 07/07/19 - Maize Field AM
      • 07/07/19 - Flight from Ashton Court PM
      • 08/07/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 09/07/19 - Flight from Ashton Court PM
      • 10/07/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 13/07/19 - Maize Field PM
      • 14/07/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 15/07/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 16/07/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 22/07/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 23/07/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 24/07/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • ​26/07/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 01/08/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 01/08/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 02/08/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 02/08/19 - Maize Field PM
      • 13/08/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 15/08/19 - Pettefords Tether at Nailsea
      • 20/08/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 20/08/19 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 21/08/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 21/08/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 23/08/19 - Flight from Maize Field PM
      • 23/08/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 25/08/19 - Maize Field AM
      • 25/08/19 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 25/08/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 26/08/19 - Ashton Court PM
      • 01/09/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 07/09/19 - Keynsham AM
      • 07/09/19 - Maize Field PM
      • ​08/09/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 08/09/19 - Timsbury Flyout PM
      • 10/09/19 - Ashton Court AM
      • 18/09/19 - Keynsham PM
      • 19/09/19 - Maize Field PM
      • 16/11/19 - G-BIRE Tether at Ashton Court
    • 2018 Bristol & Bath Flights >
      • 06/03/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 21/03/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 25/03/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 26/03/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 05/04/18 - Test Inflations AM
      • 19/04/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 19/04/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 20/04/18 - Maize Field PM
      • Balloon Flight | 21/04/18 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 03/05/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 03/05/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 04/05/18 - Chubb Special Shape Inflation | Ashton Court AM
      • Balloon Flight | 04/05/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • Balloon Flight | 05/05/18 - Maize Field AM
      • 05/05/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 05/05/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 06/05/18 - Maize Field AM
      • 06/05/18 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 06/05/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 06/05/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 06/05/18 - Balloons over Bristol PM
      • 07/05/18 - Maize Field AM
      • 07/05/18 - Chew Magna Flyout PM
      • 08/05/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 10/05/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 12/05/18 - Maize Field AM
      • 12/05/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 13/05/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 13/05/18 - Portway Tether AM
      • 14/05/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 17/05/18 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 25/05/18 - Bath Balloon Fiesta PM
      • 02/06/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 03/06/18 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 03/06/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 06/06/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 08/06/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 09/06/18 - Maize Field AM
      • 09/06/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 12/06/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 13/06/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 15/06/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 22/06/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 22/06/18 - Didmarton Meet PM
      • 23/06/18 - Didmarton Meet AM
      • 25/06/18 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 26/06/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 05/07/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 06/07/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 07/07/18 - Cheddar Rugby Club AM
      • 07/07/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • Balloon Flight | 08/07/18 - Maize Field AM
      • 08/07/18 - South Gloucestershire PM
      • 08/07/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 10/07/18 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 11/07/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 14/07/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 15/07/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 15/07/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 16/07/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 17/07/18 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 18/07/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 18/07/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 19/07/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 19/07/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 21/07/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 21/07/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 22/07/18 - Keynsham AM
      • 22/07/18 - Timsbury Flyout PM
      • 25/07/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 02/08/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 03/08/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 04/08/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 05/08/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 07/08/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 09/08/18 - Pre Fiesta Flight | Ashton Court AM
      • 21/08/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 28/08/18 - Bishop Sutton Flyout PM
      • 30/08/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 31/08/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 01/09/18 - Henbury AM
      • 01/09/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 02/09/18 - Tethering in Nailsea PM
      • 02/09/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 05/09/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 06/09/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 07/09/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 12/09/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 13/09/18 - Ashton Court AM
      • 25/09/18 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 26/09/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 29/09/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 05/10/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 07/10/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 19/10/18 - Maize Field PM
      • 20/10/18 - Ashton Court PM
      • 28/12/18 - Maize Field PM
    • 2017 Bristol & Bath Flights >
      • 05/01/17 - Cash4Cars over Bristol
      • 22/01/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 18/02/17 - Ashton Court G-GAGE Tether
      • 13/03/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • Balloon Flight | 27/03/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 02/04/17 - Keynsham AM
      • 02/04/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 05/04/17 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 05/04/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 06/04/17 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 06/04/17 - Maize Field PM
      • 07/04/17 - Maize Field AM
      • 07/04/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 08/04/17 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 08/04/17 - Maize Field AM
      • 08/04/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 10/04/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 13/04/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • 13/04/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 17/04/17 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 17/04/17 - Maize Field PM
      • 18/04/17 - Keynsham PM
      • 19/04/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 22/04/17 - Maize Field PM
      • 23/04/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 27/04/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • 28/04/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • Balloon Flight in G-UWEB | 29/04/17 - Maize Field AM
      • 06/05/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 07/05/17 - Maize Field AM
      • 07/05/17 - Maize Field PM
      • 09/05/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 10/05/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 24/05/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • Balloon Flight in Red Letter Days | 25/05/17 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 28/05/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • 28/05/17 - Maize Field AM
      • 31/05/17 - Ashton Court Tether PM
      • 13/06/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • 13/06/17 - Keynsham PM
      • 14/06/17 - Maize Field PM
      • 14/06/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 17/06/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 18/06/17 - Keynsham AM
      • 18/06/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • 18/06/17 - Tethering Bagerline - Ashton Court PM
      • 19/06/17 - Maize Field PM
      • 26/06/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 02/07/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • 04/07/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 04/07/17 - Fiesta Charity Partnership Launch | Ashton Court PM
      • 05/07/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 08/07/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 09/07/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • 09/07/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 10/07/17 - College Green Tether AM
      • 12/07/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 12/07/17 - Maize Field PM
      • 17/07/17 - Maize Field AM
      • 17/07/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 24/07/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 25/07/17 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 25/07/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 31/07/17 - Visit Bath Tether | Royal Crescent PM
      • 01/08/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • Balloon Flight in Tango | 06/08/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • 20/08/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • 21/08/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 24/08/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 25/08/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 26/08/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 27/08/17 - Ashton Court AM
      • 27/08/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 28/08/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 01/09/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 01/09/17 - Bower Ashton PM
      • 02/09/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 04/09/17 - Ashton Court PM
      • 26/09/17 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 08/10/17 - Ashton Court PM
    • 2016 Bristol & Bath Flights >
      • 16/01/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 11/03/16 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 12/03/16 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 13/03/16 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 18/03/16 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 20/03/16 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 21/03/16 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 22/03/16 - Royal Victoria Park AM & Ashton Court PM
      • 23/03/16 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 25/03/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 25/03/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 17/04/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 17/04/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 28/04/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 30/04/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 03/05/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 05/05/16 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 06/05/16 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 14/05/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 14/05/16 - Maize Field PM
      • 15/05/16 - Keynsham AM
      • 22/05/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 04/06/16 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 18/06/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 19/06/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 21/06/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 27/06/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 03/07/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 03/07/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 04/07/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 06/07/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 06/07/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 07/07/16 - Balloons over Bristol PM
      • 14/07/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 17/07/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 18/07/16 - College Green & Ashton Court PM
      • 18/07/16 - Maize Field PM
      • 23/07/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 23/07/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 25/07/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 30/07/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 31/07/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 06/08/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 17/08/16 - Maize Field PM
      • 26/08/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 29/08/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 29/08/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 30/08/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 30/08/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 31/08/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 14/09/16 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 18/09/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 18/09/16 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 20/09/16 - Maize Field PM
      • 23/09/16 - Ashton Court AM
      • 02/10/16 - Ashton Court PM
      • 08/10/16 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 27/12/16 - Ashton Court AM
    • 2015 Bristol & Bath Flights >
      • 18/06/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 19/06/15 - Ashton Court AM
      • 19/06/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 23/06/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 24/06/15 - Ashton Court PM
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A Cheeky Chic Bic Chick!

26/12/2019

 
Read about how the popular Bic Chick special shape hot air balloon came to life and flew high above the UK in the 1990s, written by ex VABC Creative Director Mark Lockwood.
At least once a year back in the 1990s, we organised a day seminar for advertising and marketing manager types, we even invited a few accountants from time to time but found they were atmosphere hoovers so kept it strictly for the more fun people! This was normally held somewhere nice in central London where they could enjoy a good lunch and imbibe at our expense but not before we had subjected them to a fairly intense education on the benefits of both balloon and airship advertising, delivered with salient facts and figures and in a language they could understand. 
​Over the years we had an increasingly good response to these sessions as well as getting in front of some of the big hitters who had money to spend and a desire to, so to speak, push the envelope. To one of them came a rather quiet yet extremely well besuited gentleman with a shock of salt and pepper hair. He listened attentively and cornered airship specialist Bruce Renny after our various presentations before disappearing before the planned lunch. Later it turns out he was a member of the Bich family, owners of Société Bic S.A., and was interested in looking at an airship to back up a number of their sponsorship deals including the Tour De France race and Formula 1. Negotiations continued however the biggest stumbling block turned out to be budget: they didn’t have any! Wisely, Bruce suggested they should look at a hot air balloon programme as the entrance cost and ongoing operating fees would be more within their means.
​Accordingly, the brief came into to me to design something really simple, standard shaped and minimal investment to promote their new range of ‘Soft Feel’ ballpoint pens. There was a TV advertisement running for the brand at the time. A trawl of YouTube has sadly and surprisingly not managed to turn up a copy to date, however it featured lots of soft fluffy yellow chicks and was certainly one of those cute ‘Awww!’ type ads. A weekend of idly doodling various rather boring standard shapes in a number of different branding options had me yawning at the drawing board. I had decided to create it as a picture showing all these options in the sky at the same time so that they could choose which dull option they could afford. In desperation I drew a small version in the distance with the cute chick bursting from an egg and hugging the pen, knowing full well that it would be way beyond their meagre budget allocations. It was a last minute really simple sketch and not worked up at all. The finished set of drawings were delivered and presented by Bruce to the marketing team and met with an overwhelming wave of apathy.
​Fortunately M.Bich happened to be passing and popped into the meeting to say hello and glanced at the sketches, immediately pointing to the tiny doodle bird and said “I want that one!” Thus the word came back to work up the design to a more finished degree and I duly set off with my trusty magic markers to recreate the shape so quickly drawn. This met with instant approval and someone proceeded to dig down the back of the Bic sofa and find a bunch of loose change that would cover the cost of the build.
Picture
Sketch sent to Bic for approval
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Original design sent to Cameron Balloons for build
​I sent the drawing to Dave Boxhall at Camerons and a number of long telephone discussions and meetings then ensued to define how, in particular, I visualised the wings to be holding the pen. The basic shape was not an issue, nor was the head or the pen itself however the interface between the three parts when wrapped in ‘wings’ was proving to be an enigma wrapped in a conundrum. In the end I went to the local craft store and purchased a block of plasticine, stuck a biro shaft in a piece of wood (a Bic of course!) and build a model of how I wanted the shape to be, photographed this from a number of angles and sent Dave the shots. The lightbulb obviously came on in Bristol and this was pretty much how the bird finally came out although I was never truly happy with the beak as I thought it more duckface than Bic McChickface. It was not quite cute enough.
​Delivery was scheduled for late May/early June and, as I recall, Mike Moore was unable to do a test flight before the scheduled first appearance either due to pressure of work or bad weather, more likely the latter. We had scheduled a stills and video shoot from Victoria Crescent in Bath and it turns out that we were only able to tether the chick whilst the other new balloons we were showcasing were able to fly and allow us to capture the right press images and footage. These were the days before Photoshop however we were able to doctor a number of the shots and remove the plethora of tether lines to create a presentable media image.
​The chick went on to make many memorable appearances at the major balloon events around the country that year and for the next 3 years, and there were a few highlights including one extremely light and variable morning with a heavy dew on the ground where the pilot, Malcolm Dear comes to mind, ended up over the same grass field with just the tip of the ballpoint brushing the grass, leaving trails that certainly did not make any literary sense but looked really cool none-the-less. A bravura piece of flying by any sense of the word!
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The press image created from the first inflation
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Flying at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta 2000. Photo Ballooning Pictures UK
​I have lost track of the balloon now as it vanished along with many of the shapes with the demise of VABC back in 2002 but there are hopes someone will eventually find it lurking in the back of a warehouse or a barn and breathe life into the cute cuddly chick once again.
Read more from MJ Ballooning
​Find out more about hot air ballooning on MJ Ballooning.
Jonathan kennedy link
26/12/2019 10:13:32 am

I wish this balloon came back & gets tethered


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