1.
LV Hot-air balloon being filled on deck of Ark Royal
0.06

2.
CU Balloon crew member helping fill balloon
0.10

3.
LV Balloon filling( 2 shots)
0.22

4.
SV Two crew members prepare
0.26

5.
LV Balloon ready for lift-off
0.30

6.
SV "Demonstrators" with placards -- "Malta or bust"
0.34

7.
LV Balloon takes off, Ark Royal's crew watch. (Malta skyline in b/g)
0.43

8.
AERIAL VIEW Balloon over sea and coast
0.54

9.
AERIAL VIEW Balloon over Malta
0.59

10.
SV Man watches from helicopter
1.03

11.
AERIAL VIEW Balloon collapsed on ground
1.07

12.
SV People gather around balloon
1.10

13.
SCU Naval personnel open champagne
1.14

14.
SV and CU crew-members and party drink champagne. (3 shots)
1.28



Initials SAW/MR/VC/1200 SAW/MR/VC/1259



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Britain's frontline aircraft carries, HMS Ark Royal, turned back the aviation clock on Sunday (29 November), when a hot air balloon carrying two men flew from the ship to Malta.

The balloon was the 70-feet high (22 metre) "Bristol Belle". After weather men had checked that the wind was in the right direction the propane burner, which filled the balloon with hot-air, was lit.

Pilot and owner of the Bristol Belle was Lieutenant Terry Adams with Lieutenant Howard Draper on board as passenger. Aviators from the Ark Royal helped in the launch and even staged a friendly demonstration waving placards proclaiming "Ban Ballooning," and "Malta or Bust."
Also on board the balloon was a special consignment of commemorative first-day stamps to mark the first-ever visit to Malta by a hot-air balloon.

It's also the first-ever flight from an aircraft carrier by a hot-air balloon -- and certainly a change from the Hunter and Gannet aircraft the pilot and passenger fly for a living.

After a 30-minute flight the Bristol Belle landed in a field near the village of Grendi. There to greet them were local residents and the crew and locals toasted the success of the flight in champagne.