General Information
We will explain a little every day (when possible) our experience flying in the Alps this January.
I hope it will be of your interest. You will be able to follow the track in life every day we do, but in 2D to simplify.
In winter we use to take off late, so don’t worry you will have not to get up early to follow it.
11th January 2011
We arrived yesterday late night after 17 hours driving from Igualada. So in the morning we were a little tired.
Short briefing for a perfect weather to cross North South the Alps from Dobbiaco.
We took off a half hour later than the others because we had to prepare all, and most of other teams were waiting for this weather for some days because the meteo in the precedent days was bad.
So at 11:35 we took off climbing up to FL 135 that was the maximum allowed in the Notam. To go higher, you need to ask permission to Padova. Anyway that was a wonderful altitude to fly not too high over the mountains and also because the speed around 40-50 Km/h allowed us to do.
Pictures speak by themselves, though when flying, the scenery is still better. Dolomiti is one of the best scenery not just in the Alps but in the entire world, and we feel fortunate to fly over.
We took off with 2×40 Kg + 2×30 Kg + 1 master of 20 Kg witconcagua balloon. A N-180 with 40 % double layer (still missing 2 more panels to cover and not much time in the factory to do it).
We climbed at a maximum of 4500 m. The balloon was flying light because we were just 3 on board. So the consumption after almost 3 hours has been of less than 70 Kg. With the inflation we have to add another 10 Kg. approximately.
We decided to go down near Belluno, but we had to climb again to almost 2500 m to move more out of the mountains and the powerlines because that area was plenty of them.
We were so fortunate that we could land in a small airfield in Torch where is an amateur ultralight builder Mr. Dalborgo that had a very nice airfield where has stored the ultralight he built during 12 years.
He offered us, after showing the ultralight, a very good cheese homemade and wine and beers to celebrate the first crossing of this year.
All happy we came back to the hotel after refuelling for next flight.
