With their direction and speed determined by the wind, hot air balloons require highly skilled pilots to select a suitable landing spot after a sky-high trip. Skills like those of Virgin Balloon Flights’ pilot
Martin Collinson, who couldn’t have landed his balloon in a more appropriate place on Sunday morning…
His AM flight from
York Racecourse drifted on a northerly wind showcasing spectacular views of the county. Passengers enjoyed a bird’s eye view of Bishopthorpe Palace which sits beside the River Ouse and is the official residence of the Archbishop of York.
After an hour-long airborne adventure pilot Martin was on the lookout for a large flat area to land which had easy access for the ground crew and a road close by to transport the passengers. As always, he was careful to avoid fields with livestock, crop and any other obstacles, allowing for a safe and straightforward landing.
Martin spotted a long strip of flat grass with a lane for access and a road just a stone’s throw away for the passengers. So, without further ado, he brought the balloon down on the mentioned spot in the town of Riccall.
Much to Martin’s surprise, when the crew pulled in to retrieve the balloon and passengers they informed him that the nearby lane was actually called
‘Landing Lane’! Talk about the perfect spot.
More information about flying with Martin and
hot air balloon flights over Yorkshire is available here.
