Design incorporates electronic components to dissipate static electricity

CONTACT: Kristin Nugent

McNeil, Gray & Rice
617-367-0100, ext. 148
kristin.nugent@mgr1.com

Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM), an industry leader in the design, development, and manufacture of highly specialized engineered woven fabrics, announces it provided E-WEBBINGS® e-textiles to Best Aviation Services. Inc., the balloon manufacturing and repair company supplying a tension system to support the Torabhaig Atlantic Explorer gas balloon's open basket as it prepares to take the first flight across the Atlantic in an open basket gas balloon. The innovative design incorporates electronic components used to dissipate static electricity. The balloon will take off from Maine and then fly over Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic and landing in Europe.

The new design was critical to meeting the very tight manufacturing timeline by reducing the project's Bill of Materials and saving Best Aviation hundreds of hours of additional sewing. Bert Padelt, owner of the Bally, Pennsylvania-based balloon manufacturing and repair company, said, "Because of your design and quick turn-around on this R&D work, we were able to meet our tight deadline and launch window schedule."

The Torabhaig Atlantic Explorer, piloted by UK-based Sir David Hempleman-Adams, will collect air samples to look for new scientific discoveries. Sir Hempleman-Adams will be accompanied by Bert Padelt and Swiss explorer, scientist and entrepreneur, Dr Frederik Paulsen. The journey is expected to take four to five days, flying at an altitude of 6,000 to 8,000 feet. It would be the first Atlantic crossing in a hydrogen balloon and may also mark the longest distance covered in this type of balloon.

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About Bally Ribbon Mills
Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM) designs, develops, and manufactures highly specialized engineered woven webbing, tapes, specialty fabrics, woven preforms, and two dimensional and three dimensional structural fabrics. With 100 years of textile manufacturing experience, BRM has earned a reputation for meeting new advanced design challenges. Working in aerospace, defense, medical, safety, automotive, commercial, and industrial applications, BRM offers ingenuity, technical know-how, extensive weaving capabilities, and rigorous quality assurance systems. For more information, visit www.ballyribbon.com or call 610-845-2211.