Alps – Seventh Flight – 1981 – final Alpine flight

Stechelberg, Switzerland to Airola, Switzerland

Pilot Tony Fairbanks, Passengers – Jean Fairbanks – Tony’s daughter, Jim Schiller, Ed Gilbert, George Knox

Before the Flight, checking out the area and meetings with other balloonists.

Takeoff from Stechelberg, Switzerland and landed in Airola, Switzerland after a 3 hour flight.

Flew the 80,000 cu. ft. Vagabund balloon and landed on a side of the S. Della Boggia mountain near Airola, Switzerland. Tony’s wife, Mary Lou followed in a chase car with the wife of the German balloon-meister and by chance, they were in the town of Airola when the balloon landed on a nearby mountainside.

Tony and Mary Lou Fairbanks prior to the flight

Vagabund HB-B11 – Tony’s balloon ready for flight

Tony Fairbanks – red hat standing in basket

Mary Lou Fairbanks, blue jacket, Tony with red hat

Jean Fairbanks kneeling, Tony Fairbanks with red hat in basket

Below is an explanation of the flight. They took off with 10 ‘bags’ (sandbags), which is a low amount but that was all they were given. Tony checked the weather and decided he could have a safe flight. When they had 5 bags left, Tony decided to land at the first opportunity.