Balloon drops in for a school visit

A hot air balloon has recently visited Willington Lower School in Bedford for educational purposes. The pilot, Kerry Coate-Bond, took the opportunity of the visit to explain to the children some of the mysteries behind balloon flight. Heidi Smith, the head teacher of the school, experimented with the burners on the balloon in question, and she explained what will happen next in terms of education to Bedford Today:

“Our topic this term is called ‘Up, Up and Away’ - we will be studying the history of flight and linking the many ways that man has flown with all the curriculum areas.”

Ms. Smith has told how the pilot and his assistant were prepared to answer any questions the fascinated pupils asked. She went on to say how the balloon proved to be a real spectacle, and was especially impressed with the noise and colour associated with the burners. Mr. Coate-Bond had been launching his balloon from various places prior to the school visit, including Berkhamsted and Biggleswade. He commented on the excellent behaviour of the school pupils, and mentioned that some of them could have been inspired to take up flying when they grow up. The children learned some facts about ballooning. These included details about the operation of the burners, information about the construction of the basket, and insight into how the envelope of fabric is inflated to aid flight. They were also fortunate enough to be the recipients of goody bags.