MJ Ballooning
  • Home
  • Bristol Balloon Fiesta
    • Fiesta Reviews
    • Fiesta History
  • 2022 Season
    • Live Flight Updates
  • Our Balloons
    • G-LIPS
    • G-DIPI
    • G-CDXW
    • G-BVBK
    • G-PNAD
    • G-DIPZ
  • Special Shapes
    • Sky Safari Special Shapes
    • Midlands Special Shapes
  • Gallery
    • Bristol Balloon Fiesta >
      • 2022 Fiesta
      • 2021 Fiesta
      • 2020 Fiesta
      • 2019 Fiesta
      • 2018 Fiesta
      • 2017 Fiesta
      • 2016 Fiesta
      • 2015 Fiesta
      • 2014 Fiesta
      • 2013 Fiesta
      • 2012 Fiesta
      • 2011 Fiesta
      • 2010 Fiesta
      • 2009 Fiesta
      • 2008 Fiesta
      • 2007 Fiesta
      • 2006 Fiesta
      • 2005 Fiesta
      • 2004 Fiesta
      • 2003 Fiesta
      • 2002 Fiesta
      • 2001 Fiesta
      • 2000 Fiesta
      • 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
      • ​​25/04/22 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • ​​28/04/22 - Newbridge PM
      • ​​29/04/22 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 30/04/22 - Maize Field AM
      • 30/04/22 - Ashton Court Tether
      • 30/04/22 - G-LIPS Flight from Ashton Court PM
      • 05/05/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 07/05/22 - Maize Field PM
      • 08/05/22 - Maize Field Tether
      • 08/05/22 - Maize Field PM
      • 12/05/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 14/05/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 14/05/22 - Maize Field PM
      • 19/05/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 19/05/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 21/05/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 27/05/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 28/05/22 - Maize Field AM
      • 28/05/22 - Bath Balloon Fiesta | Royal Crescent PM
      • 29/05/22 - Bristol Balloon Tether at Ashton Court AM
      • 13/06/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 13/06/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 14/06/22 - Flight from Ashton Court AM
      • 14/06/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 15/06/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 16/06/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 16/06/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 20/06/22 - Orange Inflation at Ashton Court PM
      • 21/06/22 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 22/06/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 22/06/22 - Maize Field PM
      • 22/06/22 - Newbridge PM
      • 23/06/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 03/07/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 05/07/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 06/07/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 07/07/22 - Keynsham PM
      • 09/07/22 - Maize Field AM
      • 09/07/22 - Keynsham AM
      • 09/07/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 10/07/22 - Maize Field AM
      • 10/07/22 - Special Shapes at Ashton Court PM
      • 11/07/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 12/07/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 13/07/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 15/07/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 16/07/22 - Coffee Jar Flight from Norton St Philip PM
      • 20/07/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 26/07/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 28/07/22 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 29/07/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 05/08/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 06/08/22 - Maize Field AM
      • 06/08/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 07/08/22 - Alien Inflation at Newton St Loe AM
      • 08/08/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 12/09/22 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 17/09/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 18/09/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 18/09/22 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 19/09/22 - Keynsham PM
      • 21/09/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 08/10/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 08/10/22 - Ashton Court PM
      • 19/11/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 10/12/22 - Ashton Court AM
      • 10/12/22 - Ashton Court Tether PM
      • 16/12/22 - 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
      • 25/06/15 - Ashton Court AM
      • 25/06/15 - Keynsham Rugby Football Club PM
      • 27/06/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 29/06/15 - Maize Field, Royal Victoria Park & Keynsham Rugby Football Club PM
      • 02/07/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 03/07/15 - Ashton Court AM
      • 04/07/15 - Didmarton Flyout PM
      • 05/07/15 - Didmarton Flyout AM
      • 09/07/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 18/07/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 19/07/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 23/07/15 - Ashton Court AM
      • 30/07/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 31/07/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 01/08/15 - Ashton Court AM
      • 15/08/15 - Lloyds Amphitheatre AM
      • 16/08/15 - Wickwar AM
      • 16/08/15 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 16/08/15 - Maize Field PM
      • 06/09/15 - Maize Field AM
      • 06/09/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 07/09/15 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 17/09/15 - Ashton Gate Stadium PM
      • 19/09/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 20/09/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 25/09/15 - Ashton Court AM
      • 25/09/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 26/09/15 - Royal Victoria Park AM
      • 02/10/15 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 18/10/15 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 20/10/15 - Ashton Court PM
      • 25/10/15 - Ashton Court AM
      • 25/10/15 - Keynsham RFC PM
    • 2014 Bristol & Bath Flights >
      • 01/03/14 - Maize Field AM
      • 05/03/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • 09/03/14 - Lloyds Amphitheatre AM
      • 01/04/14 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 04/04/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 09/04/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 10/04/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • 11/04/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 12/04/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • 13/04/14 - Shirehampton AM
      • 14/05/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 15/05/14 - G-BPGD Landing
      • 16/05/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 17/05/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • 17/05/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 31/05/14 - Shirehampton PM
      • 01/06/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 03/06/14 - G-VBAE over Bristol
      • 05/06/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 11/06/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 12/06/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 15/06/14 - Timsbury Flyout PM
      • 20/06/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 21/06/14 - Maize Field AM
      • 21/06/14 - Maize Field PM
      • 22/06/14 - Maize Field + RVP AM
      • 22/06/14 - Bishop Sutton Flyout PM
      • 24/06/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 29/06/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 30/06/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • 01/07/14 - Keynsham RFC PM
      • 02/07/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 06/07/14 - WRBBAC Flyout AM
      • 15/07/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 20/07/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • 21/07/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • 30/07/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • 04/08/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • 20/08/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 31/08/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • 31/08/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 01/09/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 02/09/14 - Royal Victoria Park PM
      • 07/09/14 - Maize Field PM
      • 21/09/14 - Queen Square AM
      • 22/09/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 26/09/14 - Ashton Court PM
      • 06/12/14 - Ashton Court AM
      • Other 2014 Photos
    • 2013 Bristol & Bath Flights >
      • January 2013
      • March 2013
      • April 2013
      • May 2013
      • June 2013
      • July 2013
      • August 2013
      • September 2013
      • October 2013
      • November 2013
    • Fiesta Programmes >
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
      • 2016
      • 2015
      • 2014
      • 2013
      • 2012
      • 2011
      • 2010
      • 2009
      • 2008
      • 2007
      • 2006
      • 2005
      • 2004
      • 2003
      • 2002
      • 2001
      • 2000
      • 1999
      • 1998
      • 1997
      • 1996
      • 1995
      • 1994
      • 1992
      • 1991
      • 1990
    • Bath Balloon Fiesta
    • Midlands Air Festival 2021
    • Midlands Air Festival 2019
    • Midlands Air Festival 2018
    • Longleat Sky Safari >
      • Sky Safari 2019
      • Sky Safari 2018
      • Sky Safari 2017
      • Sky Safari 2016
    • Balloons on the Beach | Weston-super-Mare 2019
    • Balloons on the Beach | Weston-super-Mare 2018
    • Icicle Refrozen Balloon Meet 2020
    • Icicle Refrozen Balloon Meet 2019
    • Telford Balloon Fiesta 2021
    • BBM&L Inflation Days
    • Springkle Balloon Meet 2022
    • Streatley Night Glow 2021
    • Queens Cup Balloon Race
    • Abingdon Firework Festival 2019
    • Wales Airshow Night Glow 2019
    • Tiverton Balloon Festival 2015
    • Fiesta Newspapers
    • More Photos
  • Blog
  • Contact

Babybel Mr. Cool - Sweet dreams are made of cheese

11/9/2019

 
Read about the creation of the Babybel Mr. Cool special shape hot air balloon, written by ex VABC Creative Director Mark Lockwood.
​Babybel Mr Cool should have been a cow. Well that’s how the concept started out as we contacted their UK office in Kent and proposed that we build a giant red smiling cow balloon to promote their famous ‘Laughing Cow’ brand.
​Discussions and concepts went backwards and forwards for over a year and the cow morphed into a wheel shaped tub of the famous cheese (Laughing Cow ‘Light’) or even just a single triangular slice, as all of these would have been viable operational shapes and garnered significant media impact when the right PR machine rolled into action. Doodles turned into hand drawn visuals and many hours were spent burning the midnight oil to produce something (anything) that would catch the eye of Les Français across La Manche.
​Like many speculative proposals I pitched over the years, I filed this one under ‘good effort, must try harder’ and moved on to more active and profitable propositions.
​Then a phone call came from the nice lady with the nice French accent at Bel with a summons to the leafy lanes of Kent as they had an ‘Ideé’ to discuss. Armed with all my cows, concepts and crayons I duly trucked down from the West Midlands to be told that France did not need to promote their creamy cheese triangles to ‘Les RosBifs’ as the tubs and triangles were falling off the shelves and into Tommy’s lunch box in sufficient numbers to make even Napoleon smile. However, their little wax wrapped Mini Babybel’s were not quite cutting it cheese sales wise as well as they would like. It would seem that, although a very popular snack amongst parents, it did not have the right school playground uber coolness amongst the kids - but this would all change.
​So back I trundled with a little sample string bag of wax wrapped wonders to Telford, where I called a creative summit meeting with my two (then) young designers: Simon Gater and Mark Urey. I look back now and am proud that many of the young creative guys that came to work for me cut their teeth on projects that allowed their true creativity to fly, literally, and that all of them are now multi award winning creative guru’s of their own.
​This was a project that needed an injection of ‘Yoof’ culture and technology. I had already introduced computer design to the studio and these were the very early days of 3D CAD design. The software was clunky, very user unfriendly and, despite having the most powerful Mac in the entire Virgin Group IT inventory, still painfully slow. They called it a ‘Power Mac’ but it was still only the equivalent of a 486PC with the then huge amount of 500Mb of RAM. Floppy drives held 1.44Mb of data and were the only way of getting files in or out of the machine. Today I have more processing power in my watch than I did in the entire studio. To render a Photoshop file of 12Mb, you made changes then hit ‘enter’ and went and had a coffee, or even a three Martini lunch whilst it rendered!
​Despite this grindingly slow technology, we decided this would be the first shape we were going to design digitally from scratch. Before it could enter the cyberworld, we needed to brainstorm the overall concept and find that magical ‘hook’ that would fulfil the client and media needs.
​It would have been simple to create just a replica of the product and would have been perfectly acceptable from an operational point of view as well as construction, but this needed to be sprinkled with magic ‘cool’ dust. In our concept meeting I floated the idea that each little waxed package contained a serious amount of ‘cool’ that needed to be let out. In fact, what if each little cheese was a cool dude trying to get out?
​‘Mr Cool’ was born as a complete and finished concept!
​As one of the Unique Selling Points of the brand was the tab you pulled to open the wax wrapper, we decided to highlight this and some time was spent working out how he would peel himself out and finally settled on the hand pulling open the tab. The shades came as a matter of course. The basic shapes then started the CAD process and his legs and boots soon appeared after that. Mark Urey then came back and said “Why don’t we give him some roller blades?” and proceeded to visualise the wheels as Mini Baybel cheeses. Genius! 
​The computer allowed us to look at the shape in 3D wireframe turnaround, something we had never been able to do beforehand. We were able to look at the aesthetic balance of the whole envelope as well as evaluate the technical structure that would be required on the inside to hold the shape together. It showed that a parachute valve was possible and this added to the operational viability as getting the air out of a complex series of extensions was a perennial problem. As with many of the more complex shape programmes, we designed a back up branded 31 envelope for those days when the weather would not allow the shape out of the bag and, more specifically, to service a structured series of educational schools visits during the winter season.
​The rendering process took a whole weekend and still required touch ups and detailing to be finished in Photoshop before I could schlep all the way back down to Kent and present the idea. In front of the entire brand team flown in from France for the day I had to role play the entire concept to a group of their marketeers. To my delight and surprise, the final reveal of the concept was greeted by a sharp intake of breath and obvious zeal as it was agreed there and then to go ahead! Poussez le button!
​At the time we had a lot of other shapes in production and I knew Camerons were pretty much flat out, which would mean a delay in completion that would miss the majority of the summer season. Lindstrand Balloons were just up the road in Oswestry and with capacity to deliver within the shortest time. Having worked with the team there from Thunder and Colt days onwards I knew they would be able to bring him to life and that year I spent most of the pre-season on the road between Bristol and Oswestry keeping tabs on the various builds and making sure we were getting the details nailed down.
Picture
​Concurrently the design team were working on the educational resource that followed various key stages of the then UK educational curriculum. We had extensive experience of doing this from other contracts and the package was put together in conjunction with a head teacher from a school in Wellington to ensure it fulfilled the right needs.
​Mr Cool made a secret test inflation in Oswestry and, apart from a slight tweak to his shades and opening up a little extra pressure into his tab, was right on straight out of the trailer. He was immediately booked for his first appearance at Longleat.
Picture
Photo credit: Ballooning Pictures UK
​Together with the schools programme and regular visits to the major balloon festivals, Mr Cool joined the ever growing portfolio of balloons operated at VABC through the 1990s.
Picture
Thanks to Gabrielle Grunaer, Babybel is still appearing at events across Europe. Although a little porous, he is still very cool!
Read more from MJ Ballooning
Find out more about hot air ballooning in Bristol and special shapes on MJ Ballooning.
NJ
3/11/2019 01:25:43 pm

Very interesting to learn about Mr Cool! I'd love to see an article on Thomas (G-BXND) if one could be done in the future. Never had the chance to see Thomas but he is one of my favourite special shapes.


Comments are closed.

    Blog

    Welcome to MJ Ballooning's blog! Read about local goings on, special shapes and more.

    Categories

    All
    About MJ Ballooning
    Bristol Balloon Fiesta
    Bristol & Bath Season
    Midlands Air Festival
    Special Shapes

    Archives

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019

Picture
Home
Our Balloons
2023 Season
Special Shapes
Gallery
Blog
Contact
Copyright © 2023