Northampton Microlight Club

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The Sound of Silence! by Kevin and Ann Brown - 17th June 2003
The balloon starts to fill, the burners full on and we wait at a safe distance. Ann, Kevin and Mark from the Northampton Microlight Club are given the signal to climb aboard Ladybird for their first ever balloon flight. A little apprehensive but excited at the chance to be in the air. The preparations for take off are very different to what we are use to. Five people plus a 4 x 4 hanging onto a basket - it seemed a little like controlled chaos. No surprise that the last thing to let go was the 4 x 4 but when Barry released the rope the climb rate was outstanding. A little too close to the tower for our liking but with such an experienced pilot as Barry we were all in safe hands.

No headsets or helmets, no hum of the Microlight engine – just the faint sound of people below, dogs barking and the pilot from the burners.

What a difference silence makes.

It didn’t take long before the microlights appeared, circling around us showing us the control an engine can give in the air but unable to hear our shouts of hello and other helpful instructions. Whereas, we could chat away normally with only the brief interruption of the burners. Naturally, when you get pilots together from different aviation sports, they want to find out as much as they can, including what each other’s rules are and what you can get away with!

Off we drifted in the prevailing winds barely skimming trees and hedges. We approached Santa Pod and called out “get back to work” to the workmen peering out from the garages below. There can’t be many people that have skimmed across Santa Pod at 100 feet off the ground. Flying at 100 feet would get the average Microlight pilot in real hot water with the CAA whereas the balloon pilots seem to find it a natural way to fly. We rose over the drag strip and headed upwards towards Bedford.

Flying in a balloon gave us the chance to see everything in detail and absorb the surroundings in a calm and peaceful atmosphere at what seemed a slow pace. It seems a little strange to the Microlight pilot to be at the mercy of the wind direction but it was compensated for by the serenity of the flight in such idyllic surroundings. Then came the briefing on how we were going to land. Arms in the basket, knees bent, face the way we were going to fall and hope and pray that we remain upright. They say the balloon pilot has no control over where he goes but they always know where they are going to land. Barry had decided to put Ladybird down in the corner of a set aside field next to a road leading to Milton Ernest. Down we came with such precision lower and lower until we landed upright …. in the middle of a field of waist high thistles, stingers and nettles! Not too much of a problem, apart from Mark in his shorts, Ann in calf length trousers with no socks and Kevin in his best work trousers!

Right on cue, the chasers appeared thankfully to our rescue. After a brief discussion and assessment of the area, it was decided to hop/jump the balloon to a position closer to the edge of the field. The two most athletic (and heaviest), jumped out to make the basket more manoeuvrable and the balloon finally came to rest where Barry wanted it and with Ann half in the basket and half out appearing to kiss the ground, like the Pope when he visits a new country. By this time half the village children had arrived checking to see what was going on and asking if there was any chance of a ride.

Like a well-oiled machine Barry and his team deflated the balloon, packed it all away into the trailer and we all headed back to Tower Farm to join the BBQ and share our experience with any one who would listen. Our thanks to Ladybird and her crew for a splendid flight and experience that we will never forget.

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