WIRRAL'S Mitsubishi dealer, Mitchell Mitsubishi takes to the skies!

As part of the Mersey River Festival, Mitchell Mitsubishi, New Chester Road, Eastham, had their own balloon during Balloons Across the Mersey. Mitsubishi Motors Hot Air Balloon is booked to take to the skies over 50 times in Mitsubishi dealerships throughout the UK in 1998.

Despite the inclement weather, Dealer Principal of Mitchell Mitsubishi, Mark Mitchell and his premier team took to the skies to prove they are Wirral's number one for Mitsubishi.

Mitsubishi Motors were the first motor manufacturer to take to the skies, and as always their balloon is instantly recognisable with its red, white, black and silver livery.

The Balloon itself, once fully inflated stands 80 foot tall and can reach an altitude of 25,000 ft. The balloon envelope for the 1998 season, carries the name of Carisma - Mitsubishi's first European manufactured car, and the award winning Mitsubishi Shogun, proudly on display at Mitchell Mitsubishi.

Appropriately, the balloon bears the air registration number, G-MITS and is a familiar sight at all the major outdoor shows in Great Britain, including The Royal Show at Stoneleigh and The Badminton Horse Trials, which is sponsored by Mitsubishi Motors. The balloon also appears at air shows and balloon meets, and is flown for The Colt Car Company Limited, importers of Mitsubishi vehicles to the UK by Dave Seager-Thomas.

To inflate the 77,000 cu ft balloon envelope, twin 10 million BTU (British Thermal Units) propane gas burners provide hot air. These can fully inflate the envelope in just 3.5 minutes, if required. Once inflated the Mitsubishi Motors Hot Air Balloon stands 80 ft high. The robust balloon basket, which is woven can accommodate two passengers in addition to the pilot, weather conditions permitting.

On the ground however, the award winning Mitsubishi Shogun five-door 'retrieves' the team after its missions. An ideal vehicle for reaching and gaining access to the more remote launch and landing sites quickly, which often is an intrinsic part of hot air ballooning. When not inflated, the balloon, complete with basket, burners, fuel tanks and other equipment - travels behind the Shogun in a purpose-built trailer. Like the balloon, both the Shogun and trailer carry the distinctive livery of the Mitsubishi Motors Hot Air Balloon team.

The hot-air balloon pilot, who has over 20 years experience, Dave Seager-Thomas, from Somerset, has flown balloons for Mitsubishi Motors for a number of years. In past years Dave even undertook a hang-glider drop from under the balloon basket at 5,000 feet during the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

A skilled pilot and instructor, Dave has regularly flown balloons in extraordinarily diverse conditions ranging from the arid heat over the vast plains of the Masi Mara Game Reserve in Kenya, to the thin air at high altitudes above the snow capped mountain peaks in the Austrian Alps.

For further information on Mitsubishi in Wirral, contact Sales Director, Neil Crowden and team at Mitchell Mitsubishi, on 328-5555.

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