National Aero Club - National Aero Club

Baltinglass Balloon Festival Launch

The Travel Department Hot Air Balloon takes flight from Slaney Park, formerly Crosbie Park near Baltinglass , Co. Wicklow which was the birthplace of Ireland's first aeronaut Richard Crosbie.

This was the official  launch of a special "Gathering"  event "Balto Balloon Festival" which will be held from 21st to 23rd June.

Baltinglass is steeped in aviation history. The eccentric and reclusive Benjamin O'Neill-Stratford, the Earl of Aldboroughwho lived at Stratford Lodge spent almost 20 years building a huge hangar and what may have been a navigable airship. He had even bought a landing strip by the river Seine in France for it's maiden flight.

Unfortunately his theories were never tested because in 1856 when all the work was completed Stratford Lodge,the hangar and airship were totally destroyed by fire.

Following the disaster Benjamin O'Neill-Stratford retired to Spain where he died in Alicante in 1875.

Granite from the ruins was subsequently used in the construction of a bell tower at St. Joseph's Church, Baltinglass which was completed in 1887 and the ruins of Stratford Lodge is now the home of Baltinglass Golf Club.

Breitling Balloon & Wingsuit fly-past

Geraldine Fasnacht, multi time snowboard champion, base jumper and wing suit flyer is the subject of a new documentary film. This video clip from the programme shows Geraldine performing a close fly-by with the Breitling Orbiter replica balloon piloted by Brian Jones.

Human Birdwings

Jarno Smeets, a mechanical engineer from the Netherlands who loves kiting and hanggliding and fascinated by new technology, robotics, aerodynamics and science in general decided to build his own wings and take to the sky. His website has lots of videos and information about the project. Visit Human Birdwings WEBSITE

Wingsuit Flying

Mattt Gerdes - Wingsuit Flying in China

www.base-book.com
2011 trip to China.
Blue suit: Mattt Gerdes (https://www.facebook.com/haydukemiddlefinger)
Air to air camera by Barry Holubeck.
Music: White on White, by Fredrik:
www.myspace.com/fredriktheband

Jetman at Grand Canyon

Jetman Flight at Grand Canyon

In May 2011, Yves Rossy better known as Jetman achieved an amazing flight in the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. It was recorded in HD and is superbly produced with a great music track.

Last November Yves Rossy successfully performed an aerobatic looping manoeuvre having jumped from the hot air balloon “Breitling Orbiter” from an altitude of 2,400 metres. With his wing on his back and the 4 jet-engines running, Jetman jumped from a platform attached to the balloon basket. He flew for a few minutes to stabilize his wing and find the optimum angle to begin looping. Jetman executed a rotation in front of the balloon, then deployed his parachute to land in Denezy (Switzerland).

The balloon was piloted by Brian Jones who along with Betrand Piccard made the first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight in 1999.

You can follow all the adventures of Yves Rossy on his website.
JETMAN WEBSITE