'Sky is the limit' for female hot airship record holder

A woman has set three brand new female airship world records, 20 years after her father set the male record in the same airship.

Alicia Hempleman-Adams, from Bath, took off on the solo flight in the American state of Connecticut, reaching an altitude of 4,100ft (1250m), and travelling a distance of 20.5 km in just one hour and seven minutes.

The 35-year-old fashion consultant is the daughter of adventurer Sir David Hempleman-Adams, whose altitude record set in 2004 still stands today.

Once verified, Ms Hempleman-Adams will hold six World Air Sports Federation world records and 15 British records.

Ms Hempleman-Adams has been flying hot-air balloons for 12 years, but this was her first attempt at navigating hot-air airships.

"Very few people have tried to pilot these aircraft solo," said Ms Hempleman-Adams.

“I am delighted to set these new world records.

“I found the hot-air airship far harder to pilot than flying a hot air balloon.

"With controls for speed, altitude and navigation, you feel like you really need three hands," she added.

Hot airships are very similar to hot air balloons, with the notable exception that an airship has a powered means of propulsion, while a hot air balloon relies on winds for navigation.

Vertical movements are achieved using heat control from propane burners attached to the pilot cabin, to which a propulsion engine is also fitted to allow forward movement.

The airship's direction is controlled by rudders mounted on the back.

Ms Hempleman-Adams is only the second woman ever to set world records in this unique aerial craft, joining Russia’s Natalia Volodicheva as a hot-air airship world record holder.

She follows in the footsteps of her father, Sir David, who has held 47 world records in balloons and airships for more than 20 years.

“I am so proud to see Alicia claim another batch of world records, particularly as we now hold the female and male record for this airship class in the family,” he said.

“It was really special to dust off the same airship in which I set my world records in 20 years ago and watch Alicia get to grips with this notoriously difficult machine.

"She’s already a hugely-decorated female pilot at such a young age. The sky really is the limit for her.”

Sir David was part of Alicia’s support team in the USA, and was there to greet his daughter when she completed her record-breaking voyage.

Ms Hempleman-Adams' new records must now be verified by the World Air Sports Federation.