Passengers on this morning’s flight from Hanging Houghton in Northampton were treated to incredible views when their balloon drifted over the picturesque grounds of Pitsford School.
You may have seen this featured in the Northamptonshire Telegraph and Northampton Chronicle and Echo.
Sonia Kendrick of the Pitsford School Admissions Team managed to capture some incredible photos of the balloon drifting over their beautiful grounds.
“The children were so excited, frantically cheering and waving to the passengers who waved back to us. The balloon was flying quite low, so we could see all the detail; it was amazing to see it so close.”
Peter Philpot, our Northamptonshire pilot, said the flight couldn’t have gone better.
“Passengers were able to see many sites they recognised around Brixworth and Pitsford, like the huge Mercedes AMG plant, Pitsford Reservoir, and around the village centres.
“We landed in a grass field owned by friendly farmer Jerry White, who was more than happy for us to use the land. We were right next to the beautiful Pitsford School and created lots of excitement for the junior pupils who were in their school field at the time,” says Peter.
Julie McConkey was on the flight with her son and his mother-in-law. They’d had a few weather cancellations, so were thrilled to have such a treat when their flight went ahead.
“It’s something all three of us had always wanted to do, and it was far better than we could have ever imagined.
“I often go walking around Pitsford, so it was great to see places I recognised – I never realised how big it was! It was such a clear day, and we could see everything – even the fish in people’s garden ponds.
Julie was a little apprehensive about taking the flight as she’s quite nervous when it comes to heights, but was shocked at how calm and serene the experience was.
“You have no perception of height, so I didn’t find it scary at any point.
“When we landed near Pitsford School, we could see all these little faces peeping through the hedge. They were cheering and I could hear one little voice shout, ‘Let us know if you need a hand’ – it must have been amazing for them to see and was a great end to our flight.”