about ballooning...

... probably more than you ever wanted to know. From someone who only spent one day as ballast for a team from Canton, in north GA, at Callaway Gardens for the nineteenth annual Hot Air Balloon Festival. Interesting to see, and participate in, but I can see how it could get really tedious over time. After looking at some google pix., and discovering dozens of different shapes and copyrighted designs, I can also see how you would fall in love with the idea. Which would then lead to getting addicted to the point of thinking you had to have one, end up in the balloon business.

The 'envelope' or canopy, made of cloth, tightly woven nylon fabric is huge. The ones we saw on Saturday were the traditional oval shape, with bright colors sewn together in designs that would remind you of quilt patterns. Last night, as the sun was setting, before scheduled fireworks display, a specialty shape arrived, to set up for display:a huge 100 ft. tall eagle. I only saw the top 1/3 through the trees, but it was pretty impressive. Looking online at various festivals I was amazed at some of the shapes: clocks, Sponge Bob, turtles, elephants, polar bears,cows, Darth Vader, Yoda, dozens of unusual, custom designs that I understand can be very expensive.

The envelope is folded, and rolled and forced into a canvas carry all, even though the one I was assisting with weighed about 300 pounds. Probably not the smallest or largest of balloons. When the crew is ready to inflate, the fabric is removed from the storage bag, and stretched out to lay flat on the ground, in a vague silhouette of the shape it will be when aloft. The basket/passenger container and lines (necessary to tying down to fixed objects, in this case trucks and vans) are attached before it is filled. A big fan is used to inflate, blow in with air, then  propane burners are lit to heat the air within the envelope. It gradually lifts up, righting the basket that was lying on it's side at the bottom opening of the balloon. Those burners get hot, hot hot! The two big propane tanks, maybe three times the size of the ones used with gas grills, take up quite a bit of space in the basket, limiting the number of passengers.


The couple from Canton, operating a balloon as 'FlyWendyFly.org', had another couple from AL meet them to help for the weekend. It would take at least four people plus the 'driver', if the balloonist was giving tethered flights for customers: I was a body, mostly used for ballast, to help hold the basket on the ground between flights. As a group of four to six would line up to enter the basket, awkwardly climbing into the chest high wicker woven basket, an equal number of passengers would, in a consistently ungracefull manner, gradually exit over the opposite edge, climb out the other side to balance out the weight. Get them all loaded, and whoosh! Open the propane orifice! You smoothly, gradually lift up into the sky. If it were not for the noisy propane gas burner, it would be a nearly silent ascent.

The balloonist needs help with the loading, unloading of passengers as well as frequently changing out the propane tanks. The event sponsor provided the refills of propane tanks as a dozen balloonists  used gas, constantly adding heat to the air in the canopy to maintain altitude. More helpers needed to hold the basket steady as passengers climb in and out, as well as add weight to keep it on the ground, upright when it lands and tends to bounce a time or two before settling.

When the event advertised 'tethered' rides, it was dependent on good weather, requiring practically no wind, or the balloons could not launch. The rides for the public were available in the early morning, and late afternoon, as the balloons were deflated and stored during the hottest part of the day: when the sun would create thermals, more weather related problems making ballooning difficult. If the plan is for free flight, wind to send the balloons aloft is a good thing, but when they are low altitude, breezy weather is undesirable. These dozen or so balloons, filled with heated air were all tied securely to three vehicles, to stabilize for safety and low level flights: probably less than 100 feet up.

It was really interesting, a pretty neat way to spend a day. Even though I am unaccustomed to such activity all day long, and found my back and shoulders sort of achy today from exertions,  and the day was very tiring: from 5 am till 10 pm. Something I would definitely do again.