THE Bournemouth Balloon has passed its annual inspection ready for the summer season.
The attraction, in the town centre gardens, has to be given a Certificate of Airworthiness from the Civil Aviation Authority, whose inspectors are more used to licensing passenger jets.
Stanley Reeves, MD of S&D Leisure, which operates the Bournemouth Balloon, said: “It may seem a little incongruous that the Civil Aviation Authority is involved, but it does demonstrate the rigorous safety measures that we have to meet.
“It may not look much like a Boeing 747 but, as far as officialdom is concerned, it is still a passenger aircraft – even if it is firmly tethered to the ground – and as such it still has to pass a string of tests.”
One of the town’s major tourist attractions, the 22-metre-diameter Bournemouth Balloon cost more than £300,000 – inflating it costs a further £28,000.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel