This impressive feat was achieved when Rich manoeuvred his biplane with wingtips just feet from the ground  between two closely tethered hot air balloons at Gloucester Airport. 

He used the wingtips of his Pitts Special plane to cut a ribbon tied between the two balloons in a so-called 'knife edge' manoeuvre which has never been attempted before.  Rich then carried out the same trick again, this time at between 1,000 and 2,000 feet with the balloons flying free.