Don Cameron on Bristol International Balloon Fiesta: ‘It’s like coming home’

Don Cameron is a pretty well known figure in Bristol and around the world. After studying aeronautical engineering at the University of Glasgow (his hometown), he came to Bristol to join the Bristol Aeroplane Company.

Since then he has received the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals of the British Royal Aero Club for his ballooning achievements and was awarded the Harmon Trophy by the Vice President of the United States of America. Among his many achievements, Don was the first to cross the Alps and the Sahara by hot-air balloon and in 1990, he made the first balloon flight between the UK and what was then the USSR.

The founder of Cameron Balloons, the world largest hot air balloon manufacturer, and Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Don has truly dominated the ballooning and aerospace industry.

We sat down with Don to talk about where his passion for ballooning came from and what the fiesta means to him.

Where did your passion for ballooning come from?

I used to be a member of the gliding club, I was always into making model aeroplanes, and it was in the gliding club bar that a few of us got talking about balloons. There was a new type of balloon that had been made in America and me and some friends wanted to buy it but it was slightly out of our price range so we decided to make our own. This took about a year and by the time we’d finished, we realised the American price had been reasonable!

Then came an idea to make them for other people and now we’re here today.

You’ve crossed the Atlantic (almost) twice, first unsuccessfully and then successfully crossing it within five days – do you like to challenge yourself?

It was a calculated and controllable risk crossing the Atlantic, various people had tried, going back a hundred years but they had all failed. We studied the old balloons and discovered that it could be done safely.

Unfortunately the first time we didn’t quite make it. We got within sight of the coast of France but we ended the journey in a fishing boat and then the Americans made it across three weeks later. Then in 1992, I did make the crossing within five days and came second place in the [first-ever] transatlantic balloon race.

I’ve always liked a challenge.

The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta (BIBF) began as an idea with like-minded friends, how has it grown from there?

Well each year in the [Bristol] Junior Chamber, a new person would become the leader of the chamber and it became a sort of competition every year for each leader to outdo each other.

It just became bigger and bigger until eventually we realised it couldn’t get any bigger because it wouldn’t fit in at Ashton Court. We’ve completely filled the space.

Cameron Balloons have always been a huge part of Bristol Balloon Fiesta. Credit Colin Rayner

BIBF has been going for over 40 years, how do you keep it interesting?

It has changed tremendously over the past several decades. It began as a few friends getting together to fly their balloons with no crowd and it has evolved into a massive Bristol event.

People always love to see the balloons which will always be a massive draw. But we always try to push it as far as we can in terms of expenses and our budget.

It has now been turned into almost a small town at Ashton Court, including arena events during the day so there’s a lot for people to see and do. It’s always been a tradition to keep it free for the people of Bristol and so far we have been able to do that.

Do you think the balloon fiesta could have happened anywhere else in the UK?

Bristol’s a very good location. We have a good relationship with Bristol Airport especially who help the fiesta run smoothly.

It has also become a Bristol staple, with thousands of people coming from all over the world to attend. Other cities don’t have ballooning like we do.

What’s been your personal highlight of the fiesta over the years?

The years have kind of merged into each other but for the past 20 years it’s been very similar so it’s like coming home at the beginning of every fiesta. You know where everything is, you know many of the people working there so it is like coming home.

Do you still pilot balloons over fiesta weekend?

Absolutely. I’m still doing a bit of pilot instructing and I still go up in them each year.

BIBF is now an iconic staple – do you hope to keep it going for the foreseeable future?

The fiesta is a non-profit organisation, it’s been that from the beginning and everything is voluntary, everything we make goes into next year. It’s quite a tight budget so it’s a team effort to keep it going, as well as the support of some great sponsors like Costa and Huboo who have supported us this year.

The city has been really supportive, we have a lot of sponsors and we don’t pay to use Ashton Court so that helps a lot. Hopefully we can keep going for as long as possible.

Main photo: courtesy of Plaster PR

Read more: Balloon Fiesta shuttle buses axed due to driver shortage

Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines: