• Accessory of the year has to be a Ryders'
Page 25
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
WARN U200 winch (a smaller version of the vehicle recovery winch). It would appear that on the second day of Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand's transAtlantic flight (no, not even this page can escape Branson's grip on the media) the balloon started solar powering. Turning off the gas burners made no difference to the rate of ascent. When your pressurised capsule designed for 10,000 metre altitudes goes above that point the greater heights soon reveal the capsule's weaknesses, causing it to explode. Thankfully, a WARN winch had been fitted to the capsule and this operated a venting valve with the result that the ascent was checked and the flight brought under control.
So, next time your 38 tonner shows signs of solar powering don't say you haven't been WARNed.