FFF. .. .____________________________________________________. .. .Anyone know anything more about this? The article said the pilot was a "trainee" - does that mean a student? And if so, are student balloon pilots allowed passengers? I expect it's more likely the article has the facts slightly wrong.. .. .And, on a different, but related, note, why does the editor of The Sun not believe in putting more than one sentence in a paragraph? . .. .Well done to the train driver for avoiding doing any serious damage. I don't know enough about ballooning to be able to speculate what would cause a balloon to come down on a train line, but thankfully no one was hurt.. .. .__________________________________________________. .. .Student pilot, close to checkout, flying with a very experienced instructor. Very unlucky in that the balloon bounced on landing, but then spinakered in a wind speed reported to be 4 knots. This sometimes happens and is (a) disturbing and (b) uncontrollable - the envelope partially collapses normally and then forms a sigmoid aerofoil shape. I've not heard of it happening at such a slow speed, though. (Mine was at 30k and frightened me gutless!) I understand that the touchdown point was quite a way from the track and the envelope top just draped over the catenary. Scary stuff, but the train came along too quickly for the crew to react.. .. .As for the editor of the Sun, I'm mildly suprised that there was a verb in the sentence...... .. .And no-one was hurt, as you say.