That’s what I’ve been taught to expect here in Vermont.
The Quechee Balloon Festival is the big event here.
Thanks for the info, St_Ides–At first I figured there was no way it could be kerosene, because how dangerous would that be? But I just couldn’t figure out what the heck else it could be. I’ve data dumped all of the chemistry I knew from school.
Really LISTEN to, and take to heart, what your pilot tells you in your pre-flight safety breifing. Don’t treat it like people treat the seat-belt and O2 mask drill at the start of airline flights.
No problem. That’s what the Dope is here for.
Thanks. I’ve only had my new camera for a bit over a week, and that’s just the best of the best (I take ~175 pictures per flight), so I’m going to keep taking them.
I hope you enjoy your ride, I’m sure it’ll be fun. Festivals are always a good time.
I’m a little late to the party, but I took a balloon ride in Phoenix almost 10 years ago now. Lovely, and we have champagne and muffins after the ride. And on my ride the basket did not tip on landing.
Yes, do take the pre-flight safety briefing seriously.
Enjoy the ride!
I’ve been up quite a few times – actually sortof worked promoting the balloon rides when I lived in Mexico, so whenever there was room in the basket, I went along for free. The most fun ones were the double sunset ones. You go up, watch the sun set, then the pilot goes up higher so you can see the sun and watch it set again – way cool!
I’ve only been up locally (Temecula valley) once, as a surprise gift to my then-boyfriend, now-husband on his first ever visit to the United States. We really need to go again.
I’ve been told (and tend to believe) that the reason people who are usually afraid of heights, don’t experience the same fear in a hot air balloon (I qualify as one of said people, btw), is that unlike when you’re on a ladder or in a building or on a mountain or such, your eye doesn’t have any physical line it can follow from where you’re standing to the ground. I have no idea how true that is, but it makes sense to me.
Have fun, and post pictures!
Living in Albuquerque for a while actually made me NOT want to fly in one. Call me a wimp, but it seems licensing of pilots is rather lax – or are they even licensed? Can’t remember now. But from time to time, there’d be a big balloon crash involving fatalities, always one or two during the big festival in October while I was there, and I heard that it was usually some fool pilot’s fault. How do you know if you have a good pilot or not? You don’t! You just take your chances. I decided to give it a miss.
I was in Albuquerque last fall for work and my coworkers and I really wanted to take a balloon ride. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time (since it was a work trip) to fit it in. I’ve heard that it is amazing and it’s definitely something that I would LOVE to do. When I was younger my aunt and uncle had a hot air balloon but I was always too young to go up in it. I do remember following the balloon in our car as it was in the air to help fold up the balloon and put it on the truck after it landed. It seemed gigantic to me then and I actually do not think I’ve been near a balloon since. They got rid of it before I was ever old enough to take a ride… I think you’ll really enjoy it!
Yikes! $185 would pay for my round trip to Singapore and a night or two in a comfortable hotel.
Albuquerque’s an interesting animal.
It’s said that every pilot should go at least once, just for the experience. It’s also probably the most dangerous time and place to fly.
Why? Because every weekend-warrior with their own balloon is out there - even if it’s their only flight for the entire year. There’s a lot of guys there who are great, professional pilots, but it only takes one pilot who bought his licence (yes, licences are required) a couple years ago and flies his ragbag once or twice a year, to go up fast without knowing what’s above him and end up tearing and crashing.
There’s too many people flying at once to all be talking on the radio, and in such crowded airspace, that’s a problem.
I haven’t personally flown in Albuquerque yet (I will once, just for the experience)
When you’re the only balloon in the area (or in a small group where everyone’s talking to each other) it’s very different. Don’t let it turn you off completely, there are hundreds of great, reputable operators out there. Just don’t fly at a festival with someone who flies only twice a year and you’ll be golden.
20yr. Albuquerque resident here. Occasional ballon chase crew member, Licensed glider pilot, hang glider pilot, and friend to half a dozen or so balloon pilots. I’ve flown in a balloon only 3 times, and during the Fiesta at that.
The pilots ARE licensed. A commercial rating is required to carry passengers for hire, and the commercial standards are much higher than for the basic “private” license.
There is not a fatal crash at every Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. Perhaps every 2-3 years. When they happen the media goes nuts though, showing the footage on every news cast for the next two weeks. It is rare that Fiesta passes without at least one NON-fatal accident though.
As for “fool pilots” If you look at FAA accident reports for ANY form of aviation, the overwhelming majority will list “pilot error” as a cause. When you get on a commercial air liner do you meet the pilot? get close enough to detect alchohol on his breath? Review his log book, or even know how many hours he has logged? Didn’t think so. I wouldn’t climb into a basket with a pilot who struck me as a coke-head party animal. On an airliner I have no opportunity to make such an evaluation.
Lastly, the Albuquerque event in particular should not be used as a basis for judging the safety of ballooning in general. Regardless of the claims, the fiesta does make significant concessions to safety in order increase the spectical. The Albuquerque Fiesta attracts pilots from around the world, thus MOST of the pilots at that event are not very familiar with the area. In fact many of the local pilots eschew the Fiesta, staging thier own “mini fiesta” from thier normal flying sites on the West Mesa. This area offers far more landing opportunities, and far fewer power lines than the Fiesta site, but is not very accessable for spectators. The mass assentions (600-800 balloons lauching from a few acres within a half hour window) in particular are just a zoo. Often the limited landing sites will be occupied by other balloons.
There was at the two festivals in a row held while I was living in Albuquerque, but if you’ve been there only 20 years, then that was before your time. But thanks for the other information. Still, I think I’ll continue to give it a pass, and I’ve even tried static-line parachute-jumping.