17th January 2012 - JANET FOLKES
The sad news of the death of Dr Janet Folkes, experienced gas and hot-air balloon pilot, has been announced today. She died at 9am, after a long battle with cancer. Many balloonists around the world have lost a friend and role model. Janet will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
The oldest and most prestigious aeronautical race in the world
If this is your first visit to the site, please click through to our About page which should give you a flavour of this great aviation race.The website for the 2011 race can be found here
Final Competition Results (1st October 2010)
| Posn | Team Name |
Pilot 1 Name Pilot 2 Name Aerostat Reg. |
Takeoff (UTC) Landing (UTC) Flight Time |
Official Distance |
Landing Location Near to |
| 1 |  SWI2 |
Kurt Frieden Pascal Witpraechtiger HB-QKF |
2010-09-25 23:08 2010-09-28 09:45 58hr 37min |
2434.31 km | 44°35.7183’N 28°45.6217’E Constanta, RO |
| 2 |  GER1 |
Wilhelm Eimers Ullrich Seel D-OBYN |
2010-09-25 22:56 2010-09-29 10:10 83hr 14min |
2312.66 km | 46°55.685’N 28°42.63’E Chişinǎu, MD |
| 3 |  GBR3 |
David Hempleman-Adams Simon Carey G-CGOZ |
2010-09-25 23:36 2010-09-29 10:07 82hr 31min |
2008.90 km | 43°49.616’N 21°50.067’E Nis, RS |
Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis (USA2)
(Photo: George Bladon)
From the NTSB report published on 25th October 2010
On September 29, 2010, at 0558 coordinated universal time, a Ballonbau Worner hydrogen-filled balloon, N801NM, operated by Peak Express Balloon as an entry in the Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett 2010 International Gas Balloon Race, was lost from Italian air traffic control (ATC) radar over international waters of the Adriatic Sea. As of October 4, 2010, neither the balloon nor the pilots were located.
On 6th December 2010 the missing balloon USA2 and the bodies of Carol and Richard were recovered from the Adriatic Sea by an Italian fishing boat.
On 8th September, the NTSB released a "factual report" stating that the balloon appeared to have been struck by lightening, after becoming surrounded by poor weather.
On September 29, 2010, at 0558 coordinated universal time, a Ballonbau Worner hydrogen-filled balloon, N801NM, operated by Peak Express Balloon as an entry in the Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett 2010 International Gas Balloon Race, was lost from Italian air traffic control (ATC) radar over international waters of the Adriatic Sea. As of October 4, 2010, neither the balloon nor the pilots were located.
On 6th December 2010 the missing balloon USA2 and the bodies of Carol and Richard were recovered from the Adriatic Sea by an Italian fishing boat.
On 8th September, the NTSB released a "factual report" stating that the balloon appeared to have been struck by lightening, after becoming surrounded by poor weather.