An interview with……Don Cameron MBE FRAeS, ballooning pioneer

The pioneer of modern-day hot air ballooning takes us through how he and a group of friends came up with the idea of building western Europe’s first modern hot air balloon from his 1970s basement flat in Bristol, before transforming his hobby into Cameron Balloons which, for over 50 years has become one of the world’s largest and most innovative producers of hot air balloons.

Don regards the development of the Roziere balloon, a combination helium and hot air balloon, as one of his greatest achievements, used in record breaking flights such as the Breitling Orbiter 3 which completed the first-ever circumnavigation of the globe by hot air balloon in 1999. Versions of Cameron Roziere balloons have also flown the first coast to coast flight across Australia and the first solo crossing of the Pacific Ocean. His company has also become world famous for producing an amazing variety of special shaped balloons.

Don also describes his own flights, including finally fulfilling his dream of crossing the Atlantic by balloon in 1992 and making the first balloon flight between the UK and the USSR in 1990 and his many fond memories of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, an event that he helped found and run since it was established in 1979.

Don, looking back on his career, also explains that you have to put everything into running a business and hard work was needed to grab the opportunities that were brought about by modern hot air ballooning.

Don Cameron was interviewed by Anne Hayward as part of the Royal Aeronautical Society/National Aerospace Library’s oral history project  ‘If I only didn’t do it that way…….” Capturing history from the horse’s mouth' to inspire today’s aeronautical professionals'. The recording was edited by edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

The transcript of the recording can be accessed on the National Aerospace Library's catalogue