Terms of Entry
Terms of Entry
Terms
The following apply to all those participating at the Silverstone Festival Hot Air Balloon Meet 2025 (the balloon meet).
The organiser of the balloon meet is Paul Mackley working with the Silverstone Goose event management team.
The balloon meet will be held between Thursday August 21st – Monday August 25th 2025, inclusive.
The ballooning coordinator will be Paul Mackley who will oversee all operational decisions regarding the meet and all ballooning activities during the period.
The balloon meet is to be arranged in accordance with relevant sections of the Air Navigation Order.
No confirmation or acceptance of an application will be given until the appropriate entry fees have been paid, and all the required documentation has been received and successfully checked for accuracy and validity.
No propane will be provided unless the organisers have received a gas deposit prior to the event.
The right to refuse entry to the event is reserved, as is the right to require any participant to leave the event at any time.
Administration
Briefing times will be confirmed at registration and via a pilots WhatsApp group created prior to the event. amendments to these times will be advised via the WhatsApp group.
Any information provided will be done so in good faith for the guidance of participants.
Permission to launch will be confirmed by Paul Mackley or designated launch marshals in the launch area prior to take off (unless stated otherwise at Pilots’ briefing).
Balloons will not launch unless the Silverstone Festival race officials have deemed that the on-circuit racing has finished.
Once the launch signal is given it is the pilot’s sole decision as to whether to fly or not. There is absolutely no pressure to fly at all.
Registration
All participants must register with Paul Mackley on arrival at the balloon meet and be in possession of all relevant documentation that is required to be carried in flight or is required to be safe and legal.
Conditions
By applying to participate in the balloon meet the participant waives the right of any action against the balloon meet organisers, Balloon meet contractors, their employees or anyone assisting the event, in respect of any personal loss or damage sustained by the participant in consequence of any act or omission on the part of said bodies or other participants.
Participants’ balloon(s), trailer(s), vehicle(s), equipment and any other property always remain the responsibility of the participants. The organisers take no responsibility for site security or the security of property.
The entire site is open to the public and is managed by Silverstone Circuits Limited. Participants are advised to always take particular care both of their own and others’ safety. Disputes between participants and the public are to be settled amicably, without involvement of the organisers.
On occasion, non-fare paying campsite volunteers, local farmers, press and charity members request to fly. Any basket spaces available for these passengers would be appreciated.
English law shall apply in all respects.
No balloon is to land on the circuit unless in an emergency situation. Balloons must not fly low over the circuit (minimum 500ft above ground level). Any breach of this could potentially result in the expulsion of ALL balloons by Silverstone Circuit.
Participants
Participants agree to assume full liability for all injury loss or damage to third parties or their property, and to agree to indemnify the organisers in respect thereof.
Pilots are to ensure that they always fly within the limits of their and their crew’s experience and that their balloon is operated within the Operational Limitations set out in their Flight Manual.
Information provided at briefings is given in good faith but shall not restrict pilots from exercising their discretion in appropriate circumstances.
Participants are responsible for the safe operation of their balloons at all stages of inflation, launch, flight and landing. They are to ensure that all equipment and ground crews are adequate for the purposes intended and suitably trained.
No balloon is to make a flight during the balloon meet without the express permission of the organisers and/or Silverstone Circuit.
Each balloon shall carry sufficient equipment to allow the pilot to be aware of its position relative to the ground. Temporary airspace restrictions may be applied and will be notified during briefings: violation of notified restricted air space is the responsibility of the pilot concerned.
Aviation (air band) radios are to be kept on listening watch on a frequency of 122.480.
During free flight, a maximum of one vehicle per balloon is permitted within the launch area, unless consent is given prior to the flight.
Provision of ground crew is the responsibility of the participant; their briefing and their actions are the responsibility of the participant.
Participants are to ensure that onlookers and crew not directly providing assistance withdraw to a safe distance during inflation and launch.
If a pilot has any safety doubts, the launch should be aborted and the hot air balloon deflated as soon as possible.
Launch organisers may instruct pilots to deflate their hot air balloon at any time in the interests of safety.
Night Glows
Each team must be willing to attend at least one night glow during the evening concerts, night glows will be weather dependant but are an important element of the event. In the event of unsuitable weather, a basket only glow will not be required
Each team will be allocated two vehicle passes for inner circuit admission for night glow participation. Three-point tethers will be required for all night glows.
The night glow will take place on Silverstone circuit with no public access to the glow area.
Teams will not be restricted from flying on their allocated night glow slot but are encouraged to manage their flights to ensure they are back at the meeting point in plenty of time.
Any team failing to participate in the night glow slot without good reason will not be accepted to future Silverstone balloon events.
Pilots are responsible for the safety of their own equipment and crew during the night glow.
Model balloons will be asked to attend the night glow to entertain the public whilst full size balloons are setting up prior to the glow.
Model balloons are also more than welcome to participate in the glow.