There was great excitement in the office last week as the British Airways i360 observation pod reached the top of the tower for the first time during testing. It’s been two years since work began here on the site, so the moment was ‘uplifting’ to say the least!

BAi360 pod to full height

BAi360 pod to full height

We all held our breath as the brave technicians from Poma stood in a temporary crow’s nest on top of the pod. They were checking the cladding and the busbar trunking as the pod moved slowly up the tower.

David interviewMeanwhile our photographers were positioned around Brighton waiting to capture the moment.

It was a team effort with more expert spotters positioned inside the pod, at the top of the tower, by the counterweights inside the tower, in the control room and in the machine room.

We also had coverage in the Guardian, the Times and the Argus with British Airways i360 chairman David Marks  appearing on BBC South East and Meridian News, and Latest TV News.

You can hear a fascinating interview with David Marks on our You Tube page, or click this link to watch. You can also watch the timelapse video, at the bottom of this page, or check out the hundreds of images posted on our Facebook and twitter feeds.

The inaugural flight

The directors were given the treat of being the first people outside of the construction team to go into the moving pod. They only travelled to 20m, but it was a fantastic taster of what is to come.

The Directors in the pod

The Directors in the pod

Eleanor Harris, interviewed by the Argus, said,

“Although we didn’t go high enough to get the fantastic view, we did get a chance to feel what it is like to take a flight in the glass pod.

“It feels incredibly spacious when inside. It was also completely silent – the cable car technology makes no sound at all.”

Further tests will now be carried out as part of the commissioning process, so you will undoubtedly see the pod rise up soon. If you can’t wait to see how the British Airways i360 will look, watch the timelapse footage of the pod going up below.

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