Whose balloon was over SE London/Kent this morning?

[brockenspectre]

'morning all - my dog and I were on our early morning walk just after 6am this morning in SE London/Kent (BR3) and I was surprised to see a large coloured balloon a little way off - in the Crystal Palace direction from where I was (ie, west of BR3) ... because hound and I were walking quite fast I didn't get a better take on it, but I was surprised to see it as a/c on their way to LHR depart BIG for 27 pretty much over the spot where this balloon was! Any idea who it was please and is it a regular thing to have balloon-flying clearance over built-up areas? I can't guesstimate its height/altitude!

Thanks in advance for replies :ok:

[angels]

Hi Brocky!

Saw your plea on you-know-where and thought I would pop in and offer some moral support.

A balloon over the Palace? I was stood on the platform at SE7 at 0430 zulu and didn't see one. The planes were happily swooping into LHR.

I did a post some time back and was informed that planes have to keep a height of 4,000 feet over Greenwich due to the poximity of LCY, so my guess is that the balloon was too low to cause problems.

That's a guess though.

[brockenspectre]

aw thanks angels :ok: the problem with something "in the sky" is you can't work out its proper height/size!! You would have been to my north (Crystal Palace is west of me) so if you were looking south and couldn't see anything it may just some be kind of advertising balloon ... I will see if I spot it later on! :)

[Capn Notarious]

Was it a Red Balloon with little girl attached and French Soundtrack? [B]Now showing ones age.[B]
One thing for certain,Blue Diamond won't have seen it and the apostrophe is in the correct place.

[topcat450]

I didn't spot anything, but then being 80 miles away wouldn't have helped.

Still - I only came in here like Angels... can't stand to see a woman in distress - so all the moral support you want is freely available.

C'mon boys & girls - can no one help?

[timmcat]

.... was it a large balloon a long way off?... or a small one right in front of yer Brockie ?


(****, I goddit, Brockie's just conned us into posting in the spotters forum.. :( )

[phoenix son]

Nope, sorry Brockie, no idea either, just thought I'd make you feel wanted...

[BlueDiamond]

One thing for certain,Blue Diamond won't have seen it
You're right, Capn ... it was a little too far away for me. I did see a weather balloon once though ... but that was years ago and was probably not the balloon Brockie saw today.

[PPRuNe Pop]

Hope someone sees it soon 'cos the thread is running out of air! ;)

[ATCO Two]

The balloon was GCCWE of Adventure Balloons Ltd. It was operating in the LCY CTR, VFR not above 2000ft. I was controlling it.

[Fried_Chicken]

The balloon was GCCWE of Adventure Balloons Ltd. It was operating in the LCY CTR, VFR not above 2000ft. I was controlling it.

I hope you didn't ask them to turn left heading xxx for identification :p

FC

[timmcat]

Here it is Brocky...

http://photos.airliners.net/middle/9/1/3/654319.jpg

(no wonder it's going nowhere with a bloomin huge car attached to the basket)

[brockenspectre]

Thanks All!!!! and of course to AtcoTwo - I have to admit I was beginning to think I had imagined it as no-one I met in the park this afternoon had seen it (which ruled out the tethered thing!) :ok: :)

[ATCO Two]

FC, no need for an ident turn with GCCWE; it is equipped with a transponder (including mode C!).

BS, to answer your second question, it is a common occurrence for balloons to operate in the early morning in the LCY CTR. The provisos are that the wind must be either NW or SW, and the balloons must be clear of the CTR before London City Airport opens at 0630.