Hot air balloon record halted due to Russian aggression

The balloon was being built by Cameron Balloons in Bristol

A manufacturer has halted work on a record attempt to fly a hot air balloon around the world twice, non-stop.

Cameron Balloons in Bristol was building a hot air balloon with a pressurised gondola to support life at altitude for at least 40 days.

The project is sponsored by Russia and has Russian pilots but all work has ceased due to the war in Ukraine.

Had the attempt been successful it would have been the longest-crewed flight in the earth's atmosphere.

The aircraft was due to be flown by the Russian explorer Fedor Konyukhov, who has made previous record-breaking attempts in Cameron Balloons.

Company director Don Cameron said: "It's quite a daunting thing to be in the air for 40 days, which is longer than any other aircraft has ever flown in the atmosphere and flying at above airliner height."

The pressurised gondola would support life at altitude for more than 40 days

The balloon will be larger than any the company has produced before and the reserves for fuel will be greater too.

The pressurised gondola uses technology similar to that used in submarines.

"There's pretty low morale about the whole situation, of course, but there's also the legal position," Mr Cameron said.

The manufacture of the aircraft had to be halted due to government regulations prohibiting the sale of any aeronautical product or service to Russia.

"It's sad that we've got to this point and we don't know when it will change and if it will change.

"We're just doing what we can for the present," said Mr Cameron.