On 27th April 2013, Frenchman Bernard Bilquey’s hot air balloon recorded the longest Stationary Flight Duration (Indoor 229) in Vesoul (FRA): 1 hour 49 minutes 41 seconds.

Bilquey built the model himself: the basket comprised a single commercial aluminium bottle with two valves (a pilot burner and burner), a safety valve and a purging air valve. The burner was controlled by a solenoid valve actuated by a Bec-ESC. The model weighed a total of 4.423kg.

On the day of the attempt, the balloon left the ground for a perfect take-off without bounce and continued smoothly. The pilot was in direct radio control of the model balloon via a transmitter and on the day, Bilquey achieved two records, one for Duration: 51 min 04 sec (since superseded) and this second record for Stationary Flight Duration which recorded 1hr 49min 41sec, a record which still stands, 5 years on.

Bilquey also holds aeromodelling records for Duration Outdoor: 224 (2016), Duration Indoor: 228 (2015) and Stationary Flight Duration Outdoor: 227 (2013).

Photo credit: Mickaël Borel