Alpine crossing by balloon

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33628, 2 September 1974, Page 12

Alpine crossing by balloon

The first crossing of the Southern Alps by a hot* air balloon was made on Saturday afternoon by Flight Lieutenant R. R. Parsons, of the R.N.ZA.F. base, Wigram, and a co-pilot, Flying Officer N. Munro.

The successful flight also created a New Zealand balloon distance record pf 63 miles. Flight Lieutenant Parsons’ balloon, the '“West Wind,” was launched at 12.30 p.m. at Aickens on the West Coast, and landed four miles north of Waipara, in North Canterbury, at 2.50 p.m. Conditions had been favourbale for the flight, he said, as the balloon was swept along, at an altitude of 8500 ft, by strong winds of from 30 to 40 knots.

Flight Lieutenant Parsons, who had been trying for a year to make the first transalpine flight in a balloon, said he had also waited for the last seven weeks for the right weather under which to make the attempt. Flight Lieutenant Parsons made his first attempt to cross the Main Divide on June 1, but weather at the time forced the flight to be abanonded. On that occasion, the flight was from near

Hokitika to Jacksons on the West Coast.

Flight Lieutenant Parsons paid tribute to Mr P. Croft, chief ranger at the Arthur’s Pass National Park, who set up a series of radio points round the park in case the balloon was forced to land. The balloon carried two radios, but no in-flight communication was required, Flight Lieutenant Parsons said. His next ambition is to achieve a New Zealand altitude record in a balloon. This attempt is likely to be made in the North Island, as Flight Lieutenant Parsons has been posted to Wellington. He described altitude flights as technically more challenging than distance flights. Flight Lieutenant Parsons will be back with his balloon in Christchurch for the New Zealand Games on January 23, and hopes to interest other balloonists in attending. About nine balloonists were expected to take part in the first balloonists’ rally, to be held in Dunedin the same month, he said.