Opinion:
Up, up and away is a great way to find combination of peace and excitement
by Annette Jenkins, posted Dec. 16, 2009
Hot air ballooning is one of my very favorite hobbies. In my opinion, it is one of the most exciting, beautiful, fun, serene, breath-taking activities anyone could ever take part in.
My mother introduced me to the sport when I was a sophomore in high school. She had crewed for a few balloons when she was in college, and took me along in the summer of 2006 to visit extended family in Brookfield, Mo.
I have had the pleasure of crewing for George Thomas, pilot of the MU balloon, the Tiger Paw Express every year since. I have also had the privilege of flying with George in the Tiger Paw four times, and now consider him a good friend and an absolutely superb pilot.
Brookfield hosts the Pershing Balloon Derby races every year. Balloonists from all over Missouri and neighboring states fly their balloons over Labor Day weekend. They fly in the early morning and early evening, when winds are calmest. During the races, balloons have specific tasks to perform, such as throwing bean bags on a large “X” on the ground to see who can get closest to the target, or, getting more complicated, seeing who can skim the bottom of their basket on the top of a pond and com back up.
Pilots meet at the local Elks Club building at about 6 a.m. to go over wind patterns and the task of that day. They also release a “pie ball” or a regular sized test balloon filled with helium to let go and be watched on ascent as the winds carry it. The pilots watch this balloon carefully, as it gives them an idea of where the wind will take them when they fly.
A hot air balloon cannot be steered, so it is critical to pay attention to the winds, as they are the ultimate deciding factor in where the balloon will go. If the pilots decide the winds are safe enough to fly, up they go – and if not, they will be “put on hold” for half an hour, then check the winds again. Once approved to fly, the balloonists pack up in their vans, balloons in tow, and head to the launching site.
A launching site must be free of debris or sharp plants, rocks, or stumps that may tear holes in the envelope of the balloon while it is being filled. The balloon crew, consisting of four to eight people, lays out the envelope, or the actual balloon, on the ground, attaches the gondola, and two people hold the mouth of the balloon open so a fan can blow cold air into the balloon filling it up.
Once the balloon is filled with cold air, (maximum capacity is 65,000 cubic feet) the pilot of the balloon lights the burner and points the flame directly into the balloon heating up the air, causing the balloon to rise.
Once it has risen, the crew rushes over to the gondola to help the pilot hold it down so the balloon won’t fly away. The passengers riding along with the pilot are instructed to jump in the gondola, and the balloon is detached from the trailer for take-off.
After take-off, the crew jumps in the van or SUV, and takes off after the balloon, following it as best as possible, while communicating with the pilot via walkie-talkies. Armed with nothing but a list of potential landing sites and a platt book, they hope to contact the owner of the piece of land where the balloon hopes to land.
Some landowners do not appreciate balloon landings on their property without permission, and consider it to be trespassing. With the landowner’s permission, the pilot may land. If not, the pilot tries to look for a different landing site.
How high the balloon goes is up to the pilot, who shoots the flame into the envelope, causing it to go higher and higher. Since pilot cannot steer the balloon, he must be cautious about where he lands it. He must be on look out for a clear spot to land, preferably a field with no trees or animals, bushes, or other objects. Also, a grassy area is preferred, since the pilot wants to land the balloon as softly and gently as possible.
When the balloon is ready to land, the pilot contacts the chase crew, who is hopefully ready to help catch the balloon as it lands. If not, an experienced pilot is able to land the balloon without the help of his crew.
Once landed, the pilot pulls a rope attached to the canopy of the envelope, releasing all the air in the balloon, causing it to collapse. The remaining air in the balloon is squeezed out by the crew, who fold up the envelope and pack it strategically in a large burlap bag and load it into the back of the trailer, along with the burner and gondola.
For first-time flyers, a special ceremony is held. After landing the pilot opens a bottle of champagne, recites the “Balloonists Prayer,” and toasts to the passengers of the balloon.
The “Balloonists Prayer” is read:
“The Winds have welcomed you with softness.
The Sun has blessed you with its warm hands.
You have flown so high and so well, that God has joined you in your laughter, and set you gently back again into the loving arms of Mother Earth.”
Thomas, pilot of the Tiger Paw Express, is the director of program support for USDA Rural Development at the University of Missouri. He has been flying balloons for seventeen years, has logged almost 900 hours of flights, and on average flies around fifty or more times a year.
He has not only flown the Tiger Paw, which he owns, but he has also flown the KOMU balloon and other corporate balloons for corporate events and passenger flights. He acquired his pilot’s license in 1993 by taking the necessary instruction through the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA).
Thomas became interested in ballooning in the ’70s and ’80s He says after crewing for a balloon, he was rewarded with a ride, sparking his interest in the sport.
Now, seventeen years later, Thomas not only owns his own balloon, but has taken part in many other balloon races across the country, including the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico along with more than 1,000 other balloons for 15 years.
“I have been fortunate to help train several other people to become balloon pilots,” Thomas said. “Then I have also found that different balloon events have various levels of competition which is also fun to test one’s skills against the assigned tasks.
Thomas said there is tremendous enjoyment in flying and taking someone up for the first time.
“Having flown several passenger flights it is always memorable to share in the first flight for a special occasion, whether it be a birthday, anniversary, perhaps a marriage engagement or whatever the case may be,” Thomas said. “However, the ultimate enjoyment is flying over the countryside, or a backyard get together, or landing in a park and sharing the ballooning experience with all the excited folks. I enjoy being a small part of putting a smile on someone's face or hopefully presenting an opportunity for a positive memorable experience.”
Through my years of being a chase crew member, I have met many wonderful pilots, new friends, and lovers of hot air balloons from across the United States. I recommend taking part in a hot air balloon ride sometime in your life.
I hope to show my children someday the joys of this hobby of mine, introducing them to this wonderful sport, just as my mom did for me. I highly recommend putting it at the top of your “bucket list,” because it is sure to be nothing like you have ever done in your lifetime.
Being up in the quiet above the world and its noise, where there is nothing to enjoy but the beauty of the earth below, is sure to take your breath away.
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