News Gordon Bennett Hydrogen Ballon Race 2010

Lunar_Lander

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The first balloon has landed, it was the Japanese team. According to the website, they used up too much ballast and did not want to risk an nocturnal crossing of the Pyrenees in this state. They covered an official distance of 839.01 km.

---------- Post added 09-27-10 at 08:17 AM ---------- Previous post was 09-26-10 at 10:11 PM ----------

And we have Landing of three more balloons, leaving 16 remaining in the air, while the France 2 team is now in the lead over the Mediterranean.

Landed are now the Swiss 1 team (1070.79 km), the Finland 1 team (813.90 km) and the Finland 2 team (957.75 km).
 

Lunar_Lander

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The tracking website shows France 1 still as "Flying" though they are supposed to be at 300 ft altitude and have a velocity of 0 knots. If they are down, they covered 1022.03 km.

The Belgian Balloon just crossed a bay and is above the final strip of land before the Mediterranean. The tracker gives an altitude of 100 ft and it could well be that they are on final to land before crossing the sea.

The prime problem is also, that Italy did not give permission to cross its airspace at night, so all of them would need to get across Italy before nightfall or to land there.

NEWS: Belgium 1 really landed, covered 1057.71 km.

---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 AM ----------

France 1 touchdown now confirmed on the tracker, covered 1122.03 km. Sadly, UK 2 seems to be down too, not confirmed yet, but they would have covered 1037.73 km!

---------- Post added at 10:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:49 AM ----------

The two teams now competing for the first place are currently France 2 and Switzerland 2, their distances being only 9 km apart at the moment. France 2 took a more southerly track which lead them over Menorca and now on a long way to Sardinia at 25 knots (46 kph). Switzerland 2 took a more northerly track and is now heading for the southern tip of Corsica at 45 knots (80 kph). It could be that my prediction of reaching Rome is true, because that speed is very good, and we now have about nine hours of sunlight remaining, which would need France 2 to land on Sardinia if they get there late in the Afternoon.

It would be close anyway, as the western coast of Sardinia is some 1550 km from launch, while the area of Rome is about 1580 km away.

Correction: Switzerland 2 could make it across the whole of Italy and close to the Albanian coast until sunset.
 
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Notebook

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They are having fun! Hope they get across the Adriatic before they lose the light.

N.
 

Lunar_Lander

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I hope that as well, and Switzerland now is in the lead by 4 km distance, some 20 km out from Corsica, hope that the wind holds up!

France 2 I still see to land at Sardinia, given that they are so far away still. and progressing at the current speed.

---------- Post added at 10:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:32 AM ----------

Team GB 1 has landed, covered 916.39 km. France and Switzerland still head to head, France now 3 km ahead of CH.

---------- Post added at 11:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:50 AM ----------

Switzerland ahead again, there seemed to be a delay in processing the tracker data. They are almost across Corsica, so they can't land there anymore. They are committed for Italian mainland now!
 

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What do these balloons have in the way of direction control? I assume they need to vent to control direction :shrug:. Looking at the map of the race area, you would have to one bold captain to try and land at Cyprus, given that you can't land in Turkey or anywhere else within cooee of the island :blink:
 

Lunar_Lander

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Yes, that's right, the only way is to change altitude to get into the best wind track which gives you the desired course and velocity. Cyprus indeed would be best, but they should avoid landing in Turkey, because it is designated to be out of the competition zone, so landing would disqualify the team there.

Germany 2 now crossed out to sea too, and USA 3 appears to go for it as well. Remember that Italy cannot be crossed at night, but the meteo guy of them said that all those who are at the French coast now wouldn't reach Italy until next morning anyway.

Correction: USA 3 descending.
 

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Looks like SWI2 are making a run over the Adriatic!

N.
 

Lunar_Lander

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GER2 is heading towards Corsica and will reach it in about 2 hours, which would leave them in front of closed gates, and probably the end of the race for them. GBR3 needs some 6 hours and GER1 would need 7 hours, all too short to get through the night.

If FRA2 does not land now, they'd need about 5 hours to reach mainland Italy. As it is forbidden to violate airspace rules, they would have lost the whole race they made up to now.

---------- Post added at 06:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:22 PM ----------

According to the "News" section on the GB website, it won't be over, as they could be over the sea at night, it would only be about being over dry land.
 

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Amazing, SWI2 have done the Adriatic, and it looks like they are having a tour of the Black Sea.

N.
 

Lunar_Lander

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SWI2 landed in Romania, on the Coast of the Black Sea, having covered 2435.08 km. FRA2 landed near Salerno, having covered 1805.44 km. GER1 and GBR3 are about to leave Italy heading for Croatia, USA3 is following behind them, approaching Rome. GER2 is over the Adriatic, heading for Northern Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary.

---------- Post added at 04:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:54 AM ----------

GBR3 dipped down earlier, but announced that this was unplanned. Now about between Italy and Croatia. GER1 heading towards Croatia, approaching coast. GER2 above Croatia, will scrape Bosina for a minute and then head further down Croatia towards Serbia. USA3 is about to exit Italy.

---------- Post added at 04:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:34 PM ----------

GBR3 has eight ballast bags remaining. There is only a little piece of Land in Romania, slightly north-east of the swiss landing spot to win. The other bet would be to aim for Athens or even Crete.

---------- Post added at 04:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:36 PM ----------

GER2 called it a day and landed in front of the Bosnian border, having covered 1526.49 km, making it a 6th place in the ranking!

GBR3 has, as said 8 bags remaning, giving 8*15 kg=120 kg right now.

USA3 on the Italian coastline, they'll probably try the jump to Croatia.

GER1 heading into Bosnia now.

---------- Post added 09-29-10 at 12:11 AM ---------- Previous post was 09-28-10 at 04:53 PM ----------

Before I close down for the night, the situations.

GER1 is approaching the Serbian-Romanian border, currently heading for a course across the country and into Moldova, which would lead to no victory.

GBR3 is following slightly south of that and will head into Montenegro and Serbia. They potentially could reach the Swiss landing zone, or turn more easterly and head into Bulgaria. If they would do that and reach the coast of the Black Sea, they would have beaten the Swiss.

USA2 is now above the Adriatic, at 0-3 knots, I let race control tell you what could happen now: http://www.gordonbennett2010.com/node/2745
(BTW: Where I said USA3 above, I meant USA2, please excuse that)
 

Lunar_Lander

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That is true, by now they are back on a slow 7 knots course of 176°.

GER1 really heads into Moldova now, while GBR3 turns east a little, and actually heads for Bulgaria. Remember, landing on the shores of the Black Sea south of the Swiss landing site beats them to 1st place.
 

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GER1 has speeded up a bit, 44kts! Looks like they have moved into Moldova, I assume Ukraine is a valid landing sight?

Wondering if GBR3 is turning South to avoid the Carpathian mountains? My geography is a bit rusty.



Don Cameron, Race Director, has issued this statement at 0745UTC (0845BST) on 29th September 2010:

There is some concern about the USA2 team of Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis . The Italian ATC and coastguard have been informed. The coastguard has a fast boat in the area. The weather in the area is quite poor with thunderstorms reported.

N.
 
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Lunar_Lander

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I hope they descend now, as moving into Ukraine would be exiting the competition area, resulting in disqualification!

Worried about USA2, the website says:

Last Report:2010-09-29 05:58:25 GMT

This is the current weather:
viestewebcam.jpg


GBR3 heading south at 8 knots.

---------- Post added at 01:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:42 AM ----------

1SWI22435.082GER12313.40(in Moldova)
3GBR32009.56
(in Serbia)

Heavy weather in the Adriatic sea, S&R searching for Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis in the USA2.
 

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Lunar_Lander

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My thoughts are with balloon pilots Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis, pilots of the USA2 balloon in the Gordon Bennett 2010. I hope only their tracker failed and that they had managed to progress further, maybe to Albania, on the shore of the Adriatic. I wish them both all the best. May you come home safe, may it ...not have happened that the sea has mastered you in this challenge of peace.
 
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