Remembering Special
Friendships

Many times my thoughts have returned to the small village of Lech, set on the side of a large mountain in Western Austria, and the friendships formed during the week of the 34th Gordon Bennett Cup gas balloon races.

I became a fellow adventurer and friends with Alan Fraenckel and John Stuart- Jervis, who were to fly the D-Caribbean gas balloon representing the Virgin Islands. This was to be the first of five Gordon Bennett races that Alan was to fly. The Gordon Bennett Cup is an annual event, restricted to a maximum of three balloons from each country entered. The winner is the hydrogen filled balloon which travels the greater distance from the launch site. The prize for the winner is to be the host country for the Gordon Bennett on the following year.

I remember the visits to the rooms of Alan and John in our lodge. The meticulous care which Alan had the equipment and instruments to carry aloft organized. The quietness of John. Sitting on the rear porch and watching the swift moving water of the stream below. Attending weather briefings and wondering if our balloons will be launched with freezing rain forecast at 8000 feet. Alan’s willingness to share his view of the weather conditions and suggestions for safe mountain flying. Alan and John making meals an occasion by inviting pilots and crew persons to join them for good food and conversation.

I flew as the copilot for Michael Wallace. This was the only Gordon Bennett with a lift off during daylight hours. There were so many mountains of clouds forming in every direction that I would guess a daylight launch was made to allow the balloons to safely climb to the blue sky above and avoid the turbulence and moisture of getting caught inside a white cloud.

Michael and I reached 16,300 feet to clear a vertical forming Cumulus cloud in our flight path. Five of the thirteen balloons launched were forced to land on the side of a steep mountain in the first several hours of flight by heavy down pouring of rain. Michael and I flew for five hours without sight of the ground below, our view being blocked by clouds.

I remember the exchanges of radio communication with Alan and John while we flew at high altitude and remained in distant but visual sight of each other. Alan expressed concern for our safety as we reported 11 sand bags remaining out of 25 sand bags at lift off. At that moment, Alan had 21 sand bags in his basket.
Michael and I gained higher altitude and turned toward the southeast, landing fifteen minutes before total darkness and with no sand remaining on board. Alan and John continued through the night as a cold drizzle of rain wet the balloon and basket. Alan later told me that he had left the food and the chase vehicle. Alan and John were wet and hungry as they decided to land at dawn.

The winner of the 34th Gordon Bennett Cup was Joseph Starkbaum of Austria who flew for over 33 hours and covered a distance of 692 kilometers. Alan and John placed fourth flying for 21 hours and covering 243 kilometers and landing near Milano, Italy. Michael Wallace and I placed eight, flying for over 8 hours and covering 178 kilometers and landing near Verona, Italy.

Postscript: Several days after our landing in Italy, Bob Heim, a highly valued crew, and I were staying in the same hotel with Alan and John in Augsburg, Germany. Bob and I were returning our rental balloon, the D-Columbus, and this gave us the opportunity to visit and share our recent Gordon Bennett Cup experiences.

This impromptu reunion resulted in a very special visit to the Balloon Museum, located just to the north of Augsburg. The well known German balloonist, Herr Alfred Eckert, gave us a personal tour of his museum and a special welcome. We gathered on the top floor of the museum for a celebration and champagne toast to our safe landings in Italy.

This was a perfect ending to our introduction to the most remarkable gas balloon race, the Gordon Bennett Cup. I was glad to have shared this experience with beautiful people, the pilots and crew of the Alan Fraenckel and John Stuart-Jervis balloon team.

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