2017 Gordon Bennett

Post date: Sep 6, 2017 1:23:08 AM

It's time for the 61st Gordon Bennett FAI World Long Distance Gas Balloon Championship.

Here's the first report from the Foxtrot Charlie team.

The Foxtrot Charlie team is now in Switzerland for this year's Gordon Bennett competition. Balloon has also arrived and the business of combining shipped and borrowed equipment is underway.

At this point, a Friday launch looks good, as weather is moving in for Sat and Sun.

Check out the event at https://gordonbennett.aero/?lang=en

Live tracking should be at https://gordonbennett.aero/live-tracking/?lang=en

(don't be alarmed if you visit this site before the launch. It shows a sample map from last year!)

Preliminary direction appears to be generally to the northeast.

and an interesting email to the pilots from the organizers includes this statement...

"Please kindly take this email as a very last reminder to address any matters related to Anti-Doping now, I mean today, if necessary. As with all FAI sanctioned events, this Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett is potentially on the radar for in-competition testing."

Should be interesting to see someone join them in the sky to obtain a blood test.