As we reach 2021 the UK is seeing a rapid worsening of the Covid situation with hospitals, particularly in the South East, reaching capacity and another general restriction on flying. This Intro is being written on what should have been the Icicle Refrozen weekend, which typically has dawned bright and frosty with light winds!
‘New’ for January is a long lost Cameron N-90, G-FOGG advertising Phileas Fogg, well remembered from the 1980s and for sale by James Money-Kyrle. Otherwise only a few smaller items join the List this month including a large Ultramagic burner bag, a well used old-style Bonanno quick release and some used helium “spouts” to enable met balloons to be filled from standard cylinders.
Zebedee has sold 3 fans in the last month and we find the engine on “as is” F181 listed last month is beyond economic repair, so this one is now dismantled and being ‘parted-out’. The Prince Aircraft ‘Q-prop’ for a 5hp fan advertised early last year is back in the List for sale too – see “Other”.
Sad news in mid December was to hear of the death of Dan Glick of Sunrise Balloons in Temecula, California where he ran a large commercial operation with a dozen or so passenger balloons and five advertising balloons in the vineyard area. Dan, 68 died from a heart attack shortly after landing on 14th December. Zebedee had been trading with Dan since the mid 1980s – but sadly we had never managed to meet him. John Albury who flew commercially for Dan in the early days described him as a great fun loving guy who flew helicopters as well as balloons and was well respected in the area. Our condolences to Dan’s family and all at Sunrise, particularly his long time ballooning partner Megan Franks who intends to ensure Sunrise continues to fly in Dan’s memory.