Closing date for the December 2024 issue (No 452) is 28th November 2024
Latest Issue
Issue 451: November 2024
Only one fan has exited the List this month, although we think a number of items are sold but advertisers have not advised us yet ….!
Similarly the items on Stop Press make up the majority of items new to the List, bolstered by Peter Mossman’s Viva 77 G-BIGL making a re-appearance and another 77 envelope offered by Zebedee in Hungary. A new ‘Wanted’ ad from Belgium requests Ultramagic cylinders in various sizes.
The annual BBAC Inspectors Symposium due on 26th October was postponed a couple of weeks before the event to an as yet unspecified date early in 2025.
Chris Dunkley is currently nursing a multi-fractured arm following a fall (dangerous business this dog walking!) so is for the moment below full torque on his spanners ….. Meanwhile John Till (Welburn, York) advises that he is able to handle most hardware tasks (burners, baskets, cylinders). Although quite a way up the A64 for most of us, John does have contacts on a reasonably regular basis travelling up or down who may be able to help with transport. John also advises that he has sewing machines and materials but no operator for same. Should anyone want some occasional sewing work, particularly Northern based then please make contact with him on 07518 062260 or 01653 619990 jtill2021@outlook.com
On a sad note we have to record the death of Pietro Contegiacomo in Italy, brother of the late Paolo, both balloonists for many years including hot air airshipping. Pietro was the organiser of several excellent One Man Meets at Barolo, Italy in the late “noughties”. Condolences to his family and fellow Italian pilots.
Time for bed said Zebedee!
For several months we have been contemplating the future for our business, as has Chris Dunkley at Easy Balloons. Don’t panic! No immediate changes are planned, but being realistic the next few years will see us winding down and we thought we should spell out some timely truths and maybe encourage some youngsters into balloon maintenance & repair.
We have written a joint statement which we hope will trigger both business enterprise and some thoughts as to how you can ease the pain of your next repair …..
Scam Warning
WARNING!
We have been alerted by two of our advertisers to a scam which is currently doing the rounds. In each case the potential buyer agrees to buy an item and then sends a cheque in payment. However the cheque is for more than the asking price of the item. The ‘buyer’ then asks the seller to refund the difference. Because it sometimes takes a week or more for the bank to process a cheque, it can be some time before the seller realises the cheque has bounced.
We have heard of 4 advertisers who have received enquiries in the past week for equipment. They all involve a complicated routine involving (international) cheques and the fact that the enquirer is on honeymoon… beware !