News archive 2006
PF 2007
Kubíček Balloons wish all their customers, friends, pilots and balloonists all the best in new year 2007.
Stratos Ballooning has moved to Warendorf
Our representative in Germany, Markus Haggeney, with all his Stratos team have moved to a new facility in Warendorf, only some kilometers away from Ennigerloh.
We were happy to be present at the Opening party and the next day of the visit we used for proceeding of annual inspections of most of special shapes in Stratos Balooning operation. Spacious hall is good for fairly comfortable inflation, but 4 shapes within one day were hard work anyhow.
Petr Kubíček became Czech head of the year 2006
Petr Kubíček achieved a big success, when was awarded by a Česká hlava [Czech head prize] for the year 2006 in category Gaudeamus. The prize, which should be a national analogy for Nobel prize, is awarded each year to Czech scientists and students for extraordinary benefit to Czech science and engineering. Petr received the award for project of recontruction of lightweight sport airplane M-2 Skaut, which has won already on prestigious Aircraft Design and Handling Competition, where Petr Kubíček took part due to his studying stay at Bristol University.
[Press release (in Czech only), Česká hlava certificate]
Albuquerque 2006
After several years we took again part at Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the biggest balloon event in the World. The experiences were wonderful, sky really full of balloons you probably cannot see anywhere else.
Hana Zejdova's glider in Kubíček Factory
Early October the glider of Hana Zejdova - the multiple World record holder in gliding - came to Kubicek Facotry on Jarni street. Our task was to produce special protective cover for her airplane under supervision of Mr. Vladislav Zejda, father and also manager of the most famous Czech glider (woman) pilot. Hana Zejdova personally took part by inflation of hot-air balloon and left not only with nice experience but also with some beautiful photos.
Meet with Jim Howard
As usually, we took part at Primagaz Week, week of nice and comfortable flying around Austrian Stubenbergu and Schielleiten castle. This year one nice surprise occured, we met there Jim Howard, director from Cameron Balloons, but very nice guy, and we did with him several flights. First in his Cameron Z-105 in company colours, then in return in newest Demonstrator Kubíček - BB34 Z.
BB type range rises again
Our designer are not sleeping nor in the year 2006 and therefore we can introduce new size which we had not in our range until now. Meet, new type BB34 Z is coming. Envelope 120 sized was awaited particulary in Germany, where to the second piece went after the first one was passed to Ales Kubicek personally.
Summer balloon meetings
This Summer we took part at really many balloon meetings. Beside traditional Czech meeting in Bela, Medlov and Bouzov and also popular event in Kosice, Slovakia we have visited also splendid events in Germany - BallonMagie, this year "Pre-Europeans", in Magdeburg, and also one of the biggest balloon meeting in Europe, Warsteiner Internationale Montgolfiade. Last but not least we took part also at Georgian Open - the first Georgian national chanpionship ever.
Certification in South Africa and New Zealand
Number of countries, where our type certificate is accepted, increased again. Now it's South Africa and New Zealand, but we are still working on other countries all over the World.
New crazy special shape for Germany
New special shape was born in Kubicek Factory again. It was not easy, it's the most complicated shape we've ever done.
It looks easier than a 4 years old cathedral for example,
but the non-symmetrical shape and offset head caused troubles and that's fairly easy to show: the balloon consist of 1.800 panels, 1.500 of them are quite unique!
Other details: volume 3.000 m3, height 35 m, max. width 19.6 m, weight 273 kg.
Oeuvre magistrale Le-Puy Massif BB37 N
Another challengous project was finished at Kubiceks in May - balloon s/n 423.
Can you imagine 360 square meters of hand painting?
3 similar originals made by our insuperable balloon artist appeared above our heads
in an open-air "gallery" in front of our factory at Jarni street on one bright morning.
It is hard to say if there was something similar ever presented.
Studying records of largest painting on canvas or textile in books of world records,
nothing similar found. For comparison, Da Vinci´s famous huge mural painting The last Supper has 40 square m.
Enjoy details of this masterpiece! Best during fantastic balloon festival
in Puy en Valey in France. Soft landings Jean Marc!
(Does anybody like to fly with Mona Lisa above head? Orders here, please!) :o)
Company's adventure
On Friday 19th May we finally did the awaited company's party, this time combined with rafting on "wild" river Svitava. It started to be wild just after one of the crew began with "navy battle". :-)
But the mood of participants went mostly up and the rest of evening with good food and drinks went very well (including the very patient horse as another suprising attraction).
4. Eglofser Feuerzauber
28. 4. - 1. 5. balloon meeting took place in Eglofs, Southern Germany, where we were invited with our Demo balloon too. Thanks to Mr. Scheuerle for his kind invitation.
The weather looks bad from at the beginning, but it has changed and we could find the beauty of the countryside around Bodensee, with Alpine panorama on the South.
Franconia balloon in new hands
One of our older special shapes, Frankenwein bottle, changed the owner. After 5 years in operation of pilot Roland Wystrichowski the balloon moved to the North to Ennigerloh, where it becomes a part of already wide fleet of special shapes under operation of our representative, Markus Haggeney from Stratos Ballooning.
Production extended again
Just after the opening of new factory, we've been thinking, how long would be the factory for growing production large enough.
But nobody expected that it will be less than only one year. It happened, and on 17th February was the main workshop extended for another 50% of space.
We are accepting your bets, when the current factory will be too small again and we have to build a second one. :o)
How to extend the factory in 45 minutes (illustrated guide).
Fire & Snow in Mauterdorf
We took part of a traditional balloon meeting "Fire & Snow", very professionally organized by Markus & Nicole Haggeney & their Stratos crew.
The weather was perfect also for Alpin flights, however somebody can find the briefing in -22°C not very comfortable. :o)
Many pilots (including Ales Kubicek personally) achieved their new records of the flight speed (90 km/h). On Monday the special shape Stratolini was flown first time in hands of his new owner - Markus Haggeney. Over the alpine ridge too, of course.
More photos, webcam of Mauterndorf
Special shape Stratolini
The last balloon produced in 2005 was special shape named Stratolini, mascot based on BB20 O for Stratos Ballooning. It will be flown in Germany.
By the way, it was balloon no. 67 produced in 2005, so that the new production record was set, and the expectations for 2006 are even better.
