Twin balloons over Cyprus

CYPRIOTS this week have a unique opportunity to see twin hot-air balloons taking to the airs in the skies above them.

This is the first ever display of hot air balloons on the island. The event, which began on Tuesday and will last until Saturday, is organised by Anaxagoras Pneumatics Ltd and the German company Festo.

Sales Manager of Anaxagoras Andreas Hadjispyrou yesterday told the Cyprus Mail that the main reason they were hosting the event was to celebrate Cyprus’ accession to the European Union and that they wanted to offer the Cypriot public something exciting and new to enjoy.

People from all over the island can gather to see the balloons take off, fly through the sky and land.

“The balloons will be flown by five pilots from Festo in Germany and although people will be able to watch the balloons from the ground, they will not be allowed to take a ride, for safety reasons,” said Hadjispyrou.

The twin balloons first flight demonstration took place on Tuesday over the area between Alambra and Aradippou. Yesterday, the balloons hovered 10 metres above the ground at the shooting grounds to launch the Paneuropean target practice competition.

The two hot air balloons are known as the ballooning twins. They are blue and white and while balloon is of normal design, the second appears to be upside down.

They are often seen travelling together. The reason for this is because as the upside down balloon rises to the sky, it requires guidance. If you look closely at the balloon you can see an integrated cabin beneath its skirt, but due to the shape of the balloon, the pilot’s vision is obstructed.

This means he is flying the balloon blind and therefore needs its twin to direct him, particularly during the tricky landing phase.

People can catch the balloons flying over Alambra and Dromolaxia today between 5am and 11am. On Friday and Saturday the balloons will take off from Alambra and land in Aradippou, again from 5-11am. On Saturday evening, from 6pm to midnight, there will be an exhibition of the balloons in the Enaerios area in Limassol.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.