Janet Folkes
Dr Janet Folkes (20 July 1959 – 17 January 2012)[1] was an academic from Nottingham, who held multiple ballooning records.[2] She died in 2012 from breast cancer.[3][4]
Career
Folkes worked in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham.[5] She was an expert in lasers and water-jetting.[3] She researched the use of lasers in cutting, welding and shaping metals – working closely with the engine maker Rolls-Royce.[2]
Ballooning
Folkes took up the sport of ballooning in 1984.[6]
She competed in the Gordon Bennett Cup (for gas-filled balloons) in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2009. During the 2009 race, she set the women's world endurance record with Dr Ann Rich, staying in the air for over 69 hours.[7][8] She also piloted hot air balloons.
In 1995, she set the women's world altitude balloons record.[9] In total, she established 46 world records.[6]
She was involved as a technical engineer on the non-stop around the world attempt by Richard Branson, Per Lindstrand and Steve Fossett.[7]
Death and legacy
Folkes died in January 2012, leaving as a legacy the Nottingham University balloon, G-NUNI.[10] Her funeral took place in Bulcote, Nottingham,[3] where she had lived since childhood.[7]
References
- ↑ FAI Ballooning Commission - Hall of Fame - Janet Folkes - Inducted 2015. Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. Retrieved 17 December 2018 from link
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 World record-breaking balloonist Janet Folkes' funeral held. (3 February 2012) Retrieved 12 October 2023 from link
- ↑ A tribute to Dr Janet Folkes. Retrieved 15 December 2018 from link
- ↑ Dr Janet Folkes - The University of Nottingham. Retrieved 15 December 2018 from www.nottingham.ac.uk
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Great Wall balloon bid. (29 June 2007) Retrieved 12 October 2023 from link
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ Test Tube - Behind the scenes in the world of science. Retrieved 16 December 2018 from www.test-tube.org.uk
- ↑ The Royal Aero Club Silver Medal. Retrieved 7 February 2019 from link
- ↑ Nottingham balloon - a taste of summer! - The News Room. (23 November 2015) Nottingham University. Retrieved 15 December 2018 from The News Room
- Articles with short description
- Use dmy dates from September 2019
- Articles with invalid date parameter in template
- 1959 births
- 2012 deaths
- English balloonists
- Women balloonists
- Balloon flight record holders
- Alumni of the University of Nottingham
- People educated at Carlton le Willows Academy
- People from Nottingham
- Pages with script errors
