MADE IN MONACO
: What about the new project of the ecologic red-and-white balloon ?
© Monaco Ballooning Team
AC : Actually , the ‘ Monaco Next Generation Project ’, supported by Groupe Marzocco , is not a project anymore but an evolving reality . What we are working on is to launch an even ‘ greener ’ balloon that brings the national colours of the Principality . The new balloon is not meant to carry people but to convey a message : making possible what did not seem so . The conformation of the Monegasque territory , in fact , would not guarantee enough space to travel by hot-air balloon ( note : a space equal to two football fields is usually required to take off and land ). We succeeded to change the perspective . We are trying then to plan about five taking offs per year with two passengers each , mainly in the winter season since during summers it is not feasible to do it because of the weather .
We hope also to establish new partnerships with Monaco ’ s Tourism Board and the Educational service to organize workshops and training courses to bring new generations closer to the ‘ montgolfière ’. I wish I could see Monaco ’ s balloon-patent pilots in a few years .
: Are you going to attend international balloon festivals ?
AC : Yes , of course . Surely , we will be present at major festivals in January 2023 .
The Monaco Ballooning Team ‘ montgolfière ’ attending the Epiphany International Balloon festival held in Mondovì ( January 2020 ).
AC : It was great ! We made the first historic flight from the Principality of Monaco and the presence of H . S . H . Prince Albert II of Monaco at the kicking-off honoured us considerably . He has always been a big supporter of Monaco ’ s balloon since the beginning and we met Him several times .
© Monaco Ballooning Team
We chose the right moment when the winds from the south were blowing towards Italy . We climbed in three hours to six thousand metres high , using oxygen masks . Favourable weather conditions allowed us to cross rather quickly the Maritime Alps and to land South of Turin soon after .
90 / Hello Monaco Summer — Autumn 2022 www . hellomonaco . com