Closing date for the April 2026 issue (No 468) is 30th March 2026
Latest Issue
Issue 467: March 2026
No new envelopes join the List this month, but price reductions have been made on complete balloons G-GABI and G-CMEK. Just one transfer from Stop Press this issue is a trailer as well as extra pix of Glen’s G-CLOX showing this pretty, almost new balloon.
Sales in February include envelopes G-CCPT a Cameron Z-90 and retired Colt 90A G-OMMM. Chris Dunkley has sold his CB426 cylinder. Roy Battersby has also made a significant price reduction on his complete Ultramagic M56. We feel that there must be other items to delete, so please let us know once you get a sale ….
A number of issues have been highlighted by other publications which affect us or likely to affect us in due course. The BBAC Pilot Circular gives a good run down on MAVIS – the replacement for the Aviation Briefing Service, whilst Flyer magazine hints at most aircraft will be mandates by the CAA to have electronic conspicuity in due course. This is due to the endless drive to allow drones to fly in Class G airspace whilst aircraft rely on ‘see and avoid’ – easy with a pilot to avoid a big and slow balloon, not so for a drone which needs an electronic signal to warn of our presence – worrying in that we both spend considerable time at the lower altitudes.
Also notified to us is not only CSP insurance moving out of balloon insurance but also J.Bennett & Son who cover a big chunk of the UK balloon population. Watch out for future news …
David MacGregor pilot and Andrew Strange as crew chief have been nominated to attend and compete in the forthcoming World’s Hot Air Ballooning Championships in Poland this coming September. They now have to raise funds. Andrew is still selling his much refurbished trailer already reduced from £3500.00 down to £2500.00. Andrew will now accept any reasonable offer over £1000.00 to help them on their way to Poland. He also needs to give up the space as it has cost him a bit now to have it securely parked and his wife needs the space for her flowers! Andrew is still able to deliver for cost of fuel and where necessary an overnight stop. See the ad in the trailer section.
Time for bed said Zebedee!
For several months we have been contemplating the future for our business, as has Chris Dunkley at Easy Balloons. Don’t panic! No immediate changes are planned, but being realistic the next few years will see us winding down and we thought we should spell out some timely truths and maybe encourage some youngsters into balloon maintenance & repair.
We have written a joint statement which we hope will trigger both business enterprise and some thoughts as to how you can ease the pain of your next repair …..
Scam Warning
WARNING!
We have been alerted by two of our advertisers to a scam which is currently doing the rounds. In each case the potential buyer agrees to buy an item and then sends a cheque in payment. However the cheque is for more than the asking price of the item. The ‘buyer’ then asks the seller to refund the difference. Because it sometimes takes a week or more for the bank to process a cheque, it can be some time before the seller realises the cheque has bounced.
We have heard of 4 advertisers who have received enquiries in the past week for equipment. They all involve a complicated routine involving (international) cheques and the fact that the enquirer is on honeymoon… beware !