|
Seven Star Balloons
Builders of the Piccard Pleiades Multi-Balloon
Innovations Since 1937
Seven Star
Balloons is a proud Texan corporation carrying
forward the inventive technology of Piccard safe
balloon flight. The Piccard Pleiadessystem, first invented by Prof. Jean
Piccard, has held the World Class A2 Altitude record for
over 45 years at over 5,000 meters, piloted by
General Don Piccard, founder of
the Balloon Club of America.
Gen Piccard
has joined with Mr. Philip Bryant, past President of
the Balloon Federation of America, to form the new
Texas corporation to bring forward the established safest balloon design which
encompasses new flight profile controls with high technology nylon skin
laminations for ultra-high safety factors and extended flight.
Meanwhile,
back at the Minnesota ranch,
Seven Star employees are chipping out tons of frozen detritus from the line shack to enable the transport of high tech tooling to the
expansive Texas Seven Star production facility on the beautiful Gulf Coast.
The First Modern Gas Sport Balloons
Here is the world's first "Natural Shape" gas sport balloons. This balloon
introduced Kevlar load tapes, single point suspension with parachute load back
up, full ducted appendix for exclusion of entrained ambient air, top inflation
tube, compression loaded aluminum maneuvering valve, urethane coated nylon, high
frequency welded seams and the innovative Piccard Velcro Cuff Deflation Port.
They carried Piccard Kydex "Body Helmets" (The third in the
series, N38JT used a classical wicker basket with hand served black walnut
toggles on a laminated mahogany load ring.) An interesting feature - the
duct - reflects in the "Snout" venting system on the new Piccard Pleiades.
The FAA registration number (N1) on the balloon was not retained, but
returned to Langhorne Bond, the FAA Administrator who loaned ownership of it to
Gen. Piccard for the World Gas Championships in Brussels, Belgium.
The new Pleiades balloon will utilize Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber for suspension, Kydex for the basket, and a revolutionary material for the gas cells - Electrolam a propietary development and an already proven material. just as
revolutionary and advanced for this time – already a Seven Star
Balloons tradition.
Phil has been flying
aircraft since 1963 and has over 4700 hours of pilot-in-command time. In
addition to his hot air balloon and Gas Balloon ratings, Phil holds a Commercial Pilot
Certificate with single and multi-engine instrument airplanes as well.
Phil is an FAAST Team member and a Designated Pilot Examiner for balloons and holds
a repairman certificate for balloons. BAT, Inc. is a full service balloon repair and service facility near Fulshear, TX. He
participates in hot air balloon rallies nationwide entering competitions as well
as offering flight instruction, sales and service. Ballooning Adventures of Texas holds the only
FAA approved Ground School for Balloon Pilots in the state of Texas.
For more information, please contact Phil at (713)622-9074 or
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
