Tracking hot air balloons

[otherclive]

I’ve got two popular flight trackers but they don’t show hot air balloons but gliders are shown. My family are in a hot air ballon launched at 7pm from Bath but they aren’t allowed to use mobiles during the flight. Be nice to know where they may be.

Any suitable free apps ?

 

[Hutch]

It needs the pilot of the Hot air Balloon to have a tracking App.
Which will allow the ground tracking crew to follow the flight, ask your family to ask the Team which app they are using, many different ones.

 

[otherclive]

It needs the pilot of the Hot air Balloon to have a tracking App.
Which will allow the ground tracking crew to follow the flight, ask your family to ask the Team which app they are using, many different ones.

Thanks, I think they landed around the time I posted. No idea where they are as they haven’t messaged me yet. But it was a nice evening for the flight. It was booked for our granddaughter 18th birthday and nine weather cancellations later it took place and she’s now past 19. Think next time a fast couple of laps at Thruxton might be an option😂

 

[Buckman]

I think they had a big balloon festival in Worcester this past weekend. Love the sight and shape of some of the balloons.

 

[otherclive]

I think they had a big balloon festival in Worcester this past weekend. Love the sight and shape of some of the balloons.

They are quite spectacular and there’s one flies from Bristol looks like action Man. Very clever how they design these odd shapes to ensure the axis of lift is correct. The Bristol Balloon Festival is worth a visit, especially the mass lift offs and night glow. Although like so many events it is weather dependent.

 

[RogerL]

They are quite spectacular and there’s one flies from Bristol looks like action Man. Very clever how they design these odd shapes to ensure the axis of lift is correct. The Bristol Balloon Festival is worth a visit, especially the mass lift offs and night glow. Although like so many events it is weather dependent.

We recently went to the Midland Air Festival at Ragley Hall - loads of balloons including about 20 who lit up at night in a tethered display - all sorts of wierd and wonderful shapes - dragons, trains even the original BBC globe.

 

[GUMPY]

Quick way for unobtrusive tracking is for the person being tracked to share their location on Google maps. This can be done before they arrive on site so the phone can stay in their pocket no one is any the wiser.
We use it a lot when I am out in the kayak allowing C to see where I am. I also use it as a location marker for the van as there is a live phablet in the van for my control system.

 

[otherclive]

Quick way for unobtrusive tracking is for the person being tracked to share their location on Google maps. This can be done before they arrive on site so the phone can stay in their pocket no one is any the wiser.
We use it a lot when I am out in the kayak allowing C to see where I am. I also use it as a location marker for the van as there is a live phablet in the van for my control system.

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Doesn’t that defeat the request to have phones switched off or on airplane mode for safety reasons. In a kayak you aren’t communicating with your ground team like a ballon pilot is.

 

[GUMPY]

Doesn’t that defeat the request to have phones switched off or on airplane mode for safety reasons. In a kayak you aren’t communicating with your ground team like a ballon pilot is.

You said "aren't allowed to use their phones" not that they had to be off/ in airplane mode.
A phone wouldn't interfere with the air to ground comms as the frequency's are too far apart so it's a bit of a spurious rule.
Still the idea may be useful to someone in a different situation.

 

[Buckman]

We recently went to the Midland Air Festival at Ragley Hall - loads of balloons including about 20 who lit up at night in a tethered display - all sorts of wierd and wonderful shapes - dragons, trains even the original BBC globe.

Did the Red Arrows do a flypast?

 

[RogerL]

Did the Red Arrows do a flypast?

No - they did their full display! First UK display of the season. Magic against clear blue skies.

Sadly the BBMF were absent, still grounded after the recent fatal accident - we were though treated to the Rolls-Royce Heritage Spitfire

 

[Buckman]

No - they did their full display! First UK display of the season. Magic against clear blue skies.

Sadly the BBMF were absent, still grounded after the recent fatal accident - we were though treated to the Rolls-Royce Heritage Spitfire

Okay so they did do a "flypast" as part of the display. I just used the incorrect term again for those who are pedantic on the English language.

 

[RogerL]

Okay so they did do a "flypast" as part of the display. I just used the incorrect term again for those who are pedantic on the English language.

Lighten up - I was just adding information