Special Shapes at Longleat Sky Safari 2016-2023
Sky Safari is held in September from the beautiful grounds of Longleat in Wiltshire and is organised by Exclusive Ballooning. 2016 was the inaugural year for the event with around 50 balloons attending and it was a great success. It has grown every year since then, attracting hot air balloons from all around the world and a number of pilots visiting from the USA. Commentary is provided by American ballooning legend Glen Moyer, who works at the largest balloon meet of them all; the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, New Mexico in October.
Longleat’s Sky Safari in 2019 was the most spectacular yet with a UK record of 172 balloons flying on Saturday morning and a large selection of special shapes attending. Every slot was flyable except for the Thursday pass holder evening. 84 balloons lit up for Saturday’s night glow breaking yet more UK records.
In 2016 balloons flew from either side of Lodge Drive leading up to the Longleat House but as the event has grown the number of balloons on Lodge Drive has increased, plus another launch site has been introduced called Fisherman’s field. Tethering takes place on the lawn to the left of the house known as the Oval outside of launch hours.
Longleat Animal Special Shapes
Simbaloo, Adelaide and Duma were built by Ultramagic Balloons in Spain to promote the Sky Safari at Longleat. Original G-LEAT was created in 2016 following the success of Exclusive Ballooning’s add-on penguin shape and has attended many events in the UK and across the globe. Other animal balloons include Wes the Wolf, Roger the Panther, the Owl and Scarlett the Mcaw.
Discover which special shape hot air balloons have attended each year below including crowd favourites the Scottish cup, Bertie Bassett men, Snow White, Orient Express, Disney’s UP and Longleat’s very own animal balloons.
2023 Sky Safari
See all special shapes that attended Longleat's Sky Safari in 2023 below. Photos copyright MJ Ballooning. G-GUIN, G-UINZ and G-WINZ copyright Ballooning Pictures UK.
Orange
G-CDXW 1993 Cameron Balloons MJ Ballooning |
Snow White
G-BVDF 1993 Cameron Balloons MJ Ballooning |
Thomas the Tank Engine
G-BXND 1998 Cameron Balloons Bristol Balloon Collectors |
BBC Globe
G-IBBC 1997 Cameron Balloons Bristol Balloon Collectors |
Astro the Alien
G-OMIB 2022 Diamond Balloons Lee Hooper |
Puddles the Penguin
G-GUIN 2020 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Splash the Penguin
G-UINZ 2015 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Tall Steve
G-WINZ 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Exclusive Ballooning |
Adelaide the Koala
G-DAAY Ultramagic Balloons 2018 Exclusive Ballooning |
Wes the Wolf
G-WESS 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Ashley Moore |
Simbaloo the Lion
G-LEAT Ultramagic Balloons 2016 Exclusive Ballooning |
Wallace & Gromit Rocket
G-EDAM 2020 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Dolly the Sheep
G-OEWE 2020 Cameron Balloons Neil Edmunds |
Owl
G-OWLL 2016 Ultramagic Balloons Richard Phillips |
Iggy the Baby Purple Dragon
PH-MAM Kubicek Balloons Flash Ballooning |
Roger the Panther
G-PAWW 2018 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
2022 Sky Safari
View all special shapes that attended Longleat's Sky Safari in 2022 below. Photos copyright MJ Ballooning. G-OEWE, G-UINZ, G-PAWW, G-LEAT & G-WINZ copyright Ballooning Pictures UK.
Funny Bunny
OO-BXV 2005 Cameron Balloons Rabbits Ballooning Team |
Maxwell House Coffee Jar
G-BVBK 1993 Thunder & Colt MJ Ballooning |
Astro the Alien
G-OMIB 2022 Diamond Balloons Lee Hooper |
Wera Screwdriver
D-OWRA 2019 Kubicek Balloons Siebel Ballooning |
Wes the Wolf
G-WESS 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Ashley Moore |
Dolly the Sheep
G-OEWE 2020 Cameron Balloons Neil Edmunds |
Puddles the Penguin
G-GUIN 2020 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Splash the Penguin
G-UINZ 2015 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Adelaide the Koala
G-DAAY Ultramagic Balloons 2018 Exclusive Ballooning |
Duma the Cheetah
G-DUMA Ultramagic Balloons 2019 Exclusive Ballooning |
Roger the Panther
G-PAWW 2018 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Choc Dips
G-DIPI 1988 Cameron Balloons MJ Ballooning |
Joycam Lips
G-LIPS 2000 Cameron Balloons MJ Ballooning |
Simbaloo the Lion
G-LEAT Ultramagic Balloons 2016 Exclusive Ballooning |
Tall Steve
G-WINZ 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Exclusive Ballooning |
2019 Sky Safari
View all special shapes that attended the Sky Safari in 2019 below. Photos copyright MJ Ballooning, G-CLBH copyright Ballooning Pictures UK.
Adelaide the Koala
G-DAAY 2018 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Simbaloo the Lion
G-LEAT 2016 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Duma the Cheetah
G-DUMA 2019 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Ricoh Cube
G-IMCH 2019 Lindstrand Technologies Exclusive Ballooning |
Wes the Wolf
G-WESS 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Ashley Moore |
Roger the Panther
G-PAWW 2018 Ultramagic Balloons Steve Thomas |
Emoji
G-MOJI 2018 Lindstrand Technologies Lee Hooper |
Panasonic Battery
G-PSON 1990 Thunder and Colt Adam Barlcay-Faulkner |
G-SATL
1992 Cameron Balloons Mark Stelling |
Football
OO-BNF Ultramagic Balloons 2006 Andrew Kaye |
Orient Express
G-LOKO 1996 Cameron Balloons Team for Old Balloons |
Schwartau Strawberry
D-OGSE 1996 Schroeder Fire Balloons Team for Old Balloons |
Fox
OE-ZOX 2002 Kubicek Balloons Rudi Hoefer |
Fuji Film Can
PH-JEW 1993 Cameron Balloons Team for Old Balloons |
Teapot
D-OTEE Unknown Schroeder Fire Balloons Team for Old Balloons |
Owl
G-OWLL 2016 Ultramagic Balloons Jeff Lawton |
G-SATI
1989 Cameron Balloons Mark Stelling |
Alfred the Carpenter
D-OFVC 2019 Kubicek Balloons Hinnerk Röhrs |
Aston martin
G-OAML 1997 Cameron Balloons Andrew Kaye |
Barclays House
G-BWZP 1997 Cameron Balloons Andrew Kaye |
UP
G-UPOI 2009 Cameron Balloons Cameron Balloons |
Brandenburg Gate
D-OBBT 1992 Cameron Balloons Team for Old Balloons |
Scarlett the Mcaw
G-CLGP 2019 Ultramagic Balloons Dave Baker |
Forklift
G-BWBH 1995 Thunder and Colt Team for Old Balloons |
Strawberry
D-ONIX 1996 Lindstrand Balloons Team for Old Balloons |
Guinea Pig
G-GPIG 2019 Lindstrand Technologies Exclusive Ballooning |
Orange
G-CDXW 1993 Cameron Balloons Andrew Kaye |
Snow White
G-BVDF 1993 Cameron Balloons Andrew Kaye, Karl Gruenauer |
Hunter Boot
G-CLBH Lindstrand Technologies 2018 Exclusive Ballooning |
2018 Sky Safari
View all special shapes that attended the Sky Safari in 2018 below. All photos courtesy and copyright Ballooning Pictures UK.
Puddles the Penguin
G-UINS 2014 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Splash the Penguin
G-UINZ 2015 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Tall Steve
G-WINZ 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Exclusive Ballooning |
Simbaloo the Lion
G-LEAT 2016 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Adelaide the Koala
G-DAAY 2018 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Hunter Boot
G-CLBH Lindstrand Technologies 2018 Exclusive Ballooning |
Ricoh Cube
G-RCOH 2012 Cameron Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
UP
G-UPOI 2009 Cameron Balloons Cameron Balloons |
Aston martin
G-OAML 1997 Cameron Balloons Andrew Kaye |
Owl
G-OWLL 2016 Ultramagic Balloons Jeff lawton |
Zephyr - Tomorrowland
EC-MSG 2017 Ultramagic Balloons Private |
Panasonic Battery
G-OKCP 1999 Lindstrand Balloons Lee Hooper |
Bertie Bassetts
G-BXAL & G-BZTS 1997 & 2001 Cameron Balloons Andrew Kaye |
Emoji
G-MOJI 2018 Lindstrand Technologies Lee Hooper |
Scottish Cup
G-WHIL 2013 Kubicek Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
FT Tablet
G-FTUS 2013 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Ronald McDonald
G-CKWH 1997 Cameron Balloons David Bovington, Lorraine Bingley |
G-SATI
1989 Cameron Balloons Mark Stelling |
Barclays House
G-BWZP 1997 Cameron Balloons Andrew Kaye |
Orange
G-CDXW 1993 Cameron Balloons Andrew Kaye |
Wes the Wolf
G-WESS 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Ashley Moore |
Sky Safari 2017
View all special shapes that attended the Sky Safari in 2017 below. All photos copyright MJ Ballooning and Ballooning Pictures UK.
Tall Steve
G-WINZ 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Exclusive Ballooning |
Simbaloo the Lion
G-LEAT Ultramagic Balloons 2016 Exclusive Ballooning |
Ricoh Cube
G-RCOH 2012 Cameron Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Puddles the Penguin
G-UINS 2014 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Splash the Penguin
G-UINZ 2015 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Owl
G-OWLL 2016 Ultramagic Balloons Jeff lawton |
Light Bulb
G-LAMP 2000 Cameron Balloons Ballooningmedia |
Sky Safari 2016
View all special shapes that attended the Sky Safari in 2016 below. All photos copyright MJ Ballooning.
Puddles the Penguin
G-UINS 2014 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Splash the Penguin
G-UINZ 2015 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Simbaloo the Lion
G-LEAT Ultramagic Balloons 2016 Exclusive Ballooning |
Ricoh Cube
G-RCOH 2012 Cameron Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
