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See more about my second hot-air balloon on the Ramblin' Rose Balloon Page. It is now being seen primarily around the Southwest. We are seen quite often at events in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. And we may surprise you at ballooning events elsewhere.
EVENTS: All Ballooning events are subject to Mother Nature's whims. To be kept updated concerning local ballooning events and MoonRose's involvement in rallies, etc; or to learn how to become involved with ballooning as a crew member, see my Contact Page and drop me an email.
To continue an idea begun at the page top...
"You are always a student in a balloon." —Anonymous
A Few Things Hot-Air Ballooning Has Taught Me
And some of the basic things one might find interesting about Ballooning
- By Marta Rose
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Go with the flow, when it makes sense - It ain't easy to steer a balloon. You must pretty much float with the wind. A pilot can control the balloon's altitude to find another layer with the wind going in a preferred direction, but you cannot fly upwind or crosswind. Preflight planning insures the pilot knows which way the balloon will be traveling initially. The pilot makes sure there are plenty of suitable landing sites downwind from that initial direction (Plan A), yet must be as flexable as the wind (Plan B-Z).
- Learn to accept the assistance of friends - Doing it all yourself could not just be very arduous work, it would easily become dangerous. A few friends (Chase Crew) can inflate and launch a balloon in about 20 minutes (give or take), and about the same time to deflate and pack up the balloon after the flight.
- Get an early start when you can - Balloons typically fly best early in the morning, right after sunrise and late in the day, right before sunset because the wind is often calmer since the sun is low in the sky.
- It is nice to start with the sun and the wind at your back - The sun is the primary source of wind, heating the Earth and air to the West as our planet rotates East (rotation is another factor). However, it heats the earth unevenly. Sunlight falls directly on the equator, for example. The North Pole receives weaker, slanted rays of sunlight. Clouds may keep one area cool while another heats up. Water and land heat up at different rates. Hot air is lighter than cool air, so it rises. As hot air rises, cool air slides in to replace it. The result: wind. Due to different pockets of air and falling more dramatically at times, a pilot must understand the safest hours to fly.
- Night-time is a great time to relax - Most balloons are certified for day flying only. Balloonists seldom fly at night anyway due to decreased visibility (power lines, trees and livestock are some of the potentially unseen dangers) and the added requirement for special instruments and lights. Wintertime balloon "Glows" are very beautiful events to attend, where after dark several balloonists light up the colorful envelope with the balloon's burner. However, the crew keeps the balloon from lifting off.
- Don't loose contact with those you depend on - A balloon pilot's "Chase Crew" follows along in a van or truck. The chase crew is in radio contact with the pilot, to alert the pilot to stay higher above (avoid) horses that may startle, crops to avoid, known-unfriendly farmers, etc. They also attempt to arrive when and where the balloon lands (or soon afterwards). Be sure one of them has a camera for those times you might get into a visually beautiful or unbelievable situation... fun to see the photos later!
- Make a list before you go shopping - A complete setup for a balloon is made up of many ingredients. If you can only get a few ingredients, the recipe could be disastrous. All hot-air balloons consist of a burner system, a basket and an envelope. The differences are in the pattern-design, shape and size of the envelope, the deflation system, the basket shape and design, and also the configuration, design, and number of burners. The balloon can cost about the same as a car or boat. The most popular sport size balloons cost from $18,000 to $30,000 or more. Support equipment (radios, fan, extra tanks, tools, repair kit, etc.) adds from $2,000 to $ 5,000 more. Then if you don't already have a utility vehicle, add that and perhaps a dedicated trailer (although some people squeeze the works into the back of a pickup truck). By the way, you can also buy used balloons. How many hot air balloons are there? There are over 3,500 balloons and 4,000 licensed pilots in the U.S. There are another 1,000 or so balloons in other countries. And there is likely someone in the sport who knows someone else who wants to upgrade to a fancier balloon. If you don't already have one, add a digital camera to that list!
- If you are hanging your life by a thread, be sure it is a very strong thread - Rip-stop nylon is the most common material used for the balloon's envelope. Polyester and other fabrics are sometimes used. The lower portions around the opening are usually made from a fire resistant material like Nomex, similar to what race car drivers and firemen wear.
- Yes, having gas just might keep you a bit lighter - Propane is used for fuel in the burner. It is carried in aluminum or stainless steel tanks that range from 10 to 20 gallons in size. Average fuel consumption is about 15 gallons an hour. A good fuel gage is a must, but feel both tanks for weight too.
- With a bit of proper care, many things age well - Depending on the care it is given, a balloon envelope may last 500 or more flying hours. Considering that most sport pilots fly from 35-75 hours a year, balloons do last a long time.
- Pre-planning is a good habit - There are no bathrooms aboard the common balloon. Go before you go. Since flights average about an hour or so, pre-planning pays off in this regard. Tail-gate parties after the balloon is packed are often only a few miles from a park or home with a restroom. It is customary for the crew to also enjoy a few snacks, water and other liquids to re-hydrate your body.
- Wicker is always in style somewhere - Woven wicker is used for the basket because it is lightweight, flexible and easily repaired. It is also has a nice looking classic style!
- There really is a difference between gas and hot-air balloons, even if both might use gas - A gas balloon is completely enclosed and is filled with helium or hydrogen. A hot-air balloon gets its lift from heating the air within it (usually by burning propane). Then there are balloons that confuse the issue further... The Breitling Orbiter, which flew non-stop around the world in 1999, was a combination gas and hot-air balloon.
- Bounce back is a good trait - When something like a golf-ball or bird hits an inflated balloon, it fortunately would likely bounce off. The envelope fabric is much tougher than it might appear. It is possible to fly a balloon with a hole large enough for a man to go through as long as the hole is not at the top of the envelope. After landing safely, most smaller holes can be stitched up by hand.
- Be respectful of those in the air and on the ground - Even though hydrogen balloons were used by both armies for airborne observations. They are not a good place to be rude from. They are not exactly fast and definitely do not go un-noticed. Most balloonists behave very politely, we don't need passengers who would destroy that good reputation.
- There are times to tackle mountain tops and times to keep watch over the valley - While some pilots have ballooned over larger hills and even some mountain ranges, there are some special hurdles to consider; The fuel required to climb is far more than that calculated for the average valley flight. And if you come down in an area where there are no roads, it is difficult to get the balloon out... mountain winds are sometimes very turbulent, communications pour, open landing areas may be sparse.
- Make sure any smokers have a time and place defined for that activity - If you or your crew smoke, please do so before unloading tanks, after tanks are put away, or far away from the balloon equipment. Be aware there is a strict non-smoking rule at most balloon festivals. Even if not at an even with high concentration of fuel and equipment, it is not advisable to smoke near by because of the possibility of propane fires or explosions from leaks (although leaks are extremely rare). The balloon fabric can also be damaged by a stray spark or hot ash.
- A little added spark can build to a full blow glow - A striker similar to that used by welders to light their welding torches, is usually used to light the balloon's burner. Some burners have built-in piezoelectric igniters. Once lit, a pilot light keeps the fuel burning.
- Get to know the ropes - The crown line (rope) on top of the balloon is used to stabilize the balloon during inflation. "Tether lines" are used to tie the balloon down for display purposes (such as at a "Balloon Glow" event). Ask the pilot to demonstrate a proper knot. A "drop line" is sometimes released by the pilot just before landing so the ground crew can pull the balloon to a desired location.
- It is not just about the parchment on the wall - You must pass an FAA written exam, obtain a prescribed number of hours of instruction, make a solo flight, make a flight to a specific altitude and pass a flight test. You don't have to be able to fly an airplane since it is a completely different type of aircraft, although many balloon pilots also fly other types of aircraft like airplanes and helicopters. To obtain a Private Pilot Certificate in the U.S.A. you must be 16 years old or more (there are balloonists flying in their 80's). A Balloon Pilot Certificate is issued by the Federal Aviation Administration in the USA. Even after you have received the proper certificate, you must continue to act accordingly or it can become void.
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The Balloons of Friends and Associates
Sometimes I'm asked to pilot other people's balloons for specific events, and I ask my crew to get a few photos. Other times I manage to get a pleasing photo or two of other people's balloons, just as friends and associates take snapshots of my balloons.
Especially since the advent of digital cameras and email to trade them, we often swap images when we get a few nice ones. And here are just a few of my favorites shared back and forth... more>>>
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I have heard rumors that back before there was the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the process of getting a pilot’s license went something like this, and some claim the process still FELS the same:
PRE-FAA PILOT LICENSURE FOR THE BALLOONIST
- To get a Pilot's license, you first fill your mouth full of those little marbles we all played with when we were children.
- You then take off in your balloon and practice touch and go landings. Every time you land, you spit out a marble.
- When you have lost all your marbles, they give a license.
—Author Unknown
"How posterity will laugh at us, one way or other! If half a dozen break their necks, and balloonism is exploded, we shall be called fools for having imagined it could be brought to use: if it should be turned to account, we shall be ridiculed for having doubted."
— Horace Walpole, letter to Horace Mann (24 June 1785)
200 Years of Hot-Air Ballooning History on Five Stamped Cards (1783-1983)
The Montgolfier Hot-Air Balloon (1783)
In June 1783 the Montgolfier Brothers made the first public demonstration of a model hot-air balloon. Then during September - in the presence of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette - they flew a balloon carrying a sheep, a duck and a cockerel to demonstrate that it was possible to survive in the sky.
Several weeks later, Pilatre de Rozier (science teacher) and the Marquis d'Arlandes (infantry officer), became generally recognized as the first human air travellers to pilot a hot-air balloon. They flew for 9 km (5.5 m) over Paris. |
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The Intrepid Hot-Air Balloon (1861)
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The Explorer II Hot-Air Balloon (1935)
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The Double Eagle Hot-Air Balloon (1978)
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Celebrating over 200 years of flight — Hot-Air Balloons (1783-1983)
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The Student Balloonist's Psalm prayer (below) was written by Marta Rose while she was a student pilot herself. It was dedicated to her instructor and has appeared in publications such as CloudBouncer and Champagne Tales.
It has even been sent to her over the Internet every so often by persons not realizing that it was Marta who had written it back in 1999.
STUDENT BALLOONIST'S PSALM
The instructor is my leader;
I shall not disobey.
He maketh me to follow a check list;
he leadeth me into raging rivers.
He restoreth my awe;
he leadeth me into the paths of pecan trees, for teaching's sake.
Yea, though I land in the valley of mosquitoes,
I will fear no pain;
for the crew art with me;
my chief and my Bactine,
they comfort me.
Thee preparest a table before me in the presence of my comrades;
thee anointest my head with champagne,
beer,
water,
whipped cream,
dirt,
glitter,
silly string,
and cherries;
their cups runneth over.
Surely good friends and merciful crew
shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall fly in my balloon forever.
~
Dedicated to D. Glen Word and all my crew
(1999)
By Marta Rose
Pilot of MoonRose - Aircraft #: N2571F
Las Cruces, New Mexico
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The 4 Laws Made of Love
My gift to you for visiting my site.
With your mouse's curser over the image above,
right-click, then from your alternative menu,
choose "Save Picture As...", etc.
Or click on the gray title to access a
higher-resolution (300 pixels per inch) version.
NOTE: For more information on piloting, ballooning and the FAA,
you may like to jump to my Links Page to get some fun leads.
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