Ford, Bucks
Note: I believe this map shows the correct site, as seen in my pictures below. However, I would appreciate confirmation - or, if incorrect, the exact site will be most welcome.
FORD: Balloon landing site
NOTES: Flights in hot-air balloons has become quite a big business in recent years and it is generally a fairly safe way to go flying. This said, due to the very nature of the balloon flying, the amount of accidents involving injury is far greater than any other form of aerial transport and most of the serious accidents involve the landing. There are of course thousands of ballooon landing sites in the UK, so, only a few are listed.
In this particular case I was very fortunate to fly with a master of ballooning, Mr G Spencer in the smaller four person Colt 90A balloon G-BTMH on the 28th August 1993. A flight incidentally that I could log as an instructional exercise in my log book as Mr Spencer was an instructor on balloons. His mastery of his balloon was quite exceptional and a revelation, especially when it came to the landing which was virtually inch perfect into a very confined area, a triangle of grass at a crossroads near Ford. He halted the ballon on a hedge, and, as it then drifted a few feet further, he invited me to leap out and move the balloon into the triangle of grass - which involved crossing a country road at about 08.20.
Another aspect was that he was always in radio contact with his retrieval team following us by road with the trailer. As you can see from the picture as we came in to land, they were already in position because his position reports were very accurate.
As I was doing this, and about half way across the road, an elderly couple appeared in their car and, utterly astonished came to a halt. Needless to say I had no option but to call out to them to say that, "I'll only be a minute, I'm moving our balloon." In effect I was taking it for a walk!
PICTURES
Note: All pictures by the author.
The second picture shows the landing site which is on the other side of the road, to the top left of the crossroads.
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