Thomas The Tank Engine Hot Air Balloon Midlands Air Fest 2023! #hotairballoon #flying #discovered

I am hugely excited and proud to finally help tether, get up close and film inside possibly the most iconic special shape hot air balloons of the 1990s, Thomas the Tank Engine!! This has only been possible thanks to Bristol Balloon Collectors, ran by Liam and Dan Whitelock in Bristol! They collect and preserve non air worthy balloons for future generations to appreciate and enjoy! The credit however has to go to the legendary hot air balloon pilot Mark "Lockers" Lockwood who through his knowledge and connections was able to get the relevant information to get Thomas out into the public eye for the first time in over 12 years! Forgive the over excitement and constant mentions of “20 years” what I actually mean in that term is 20 years since he last free flew the skies. I really hope you enjoy the video and share in the sheer excitement I have here! This is a huge childhood dream fulfilled today, my family and I last saw this balloon in 1998 at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta that year, just shy of 25 years ago! If youd like to see this balloon when he was flying, scroll through my other videos to Bristol Balloon Fiesta 1998! I finally have G-BXND on YouTube! ❤