flight

We were the proud owners of Balloonworks AX-7B (N-3612D), known to all as "Aurora" from 1983 to 1994, at which point, due to some major life changes (new job and later, relocation) we were forced to temporarily give up owning an aircraft of our own. Though Dave continues to fly from time to time, we miss the pride of ownership, and being able to share the ballooning experience with friends. Instead, through the wonders of technology, we'll peek inside our ballooning photo album and try to recreate the experience on the pages that follow. We'll take you through all that's involved in planning a flight, from launch to landing... we'll even share the traditional post-flight champagne with you. Enjoy!

For every hour you get to spend in the air, you can count on spending many more on the ground. Before each flight, the pilot carefully checks out the fuel system, gets forecasts and updates on weather, and coordinates with crewmembers and passengers. The selection of the launch site is frequently a last-minute decision, as the pilot will want to plot a course over the most scenic terrain and also offer a sufficient number of potential landing spots. Surface winds of ten miles per hour or less are particularly desirable, though we occasionally fly in higher, and the visibility must be a minimum of three miles, though visibility of greater than ten miles is far preferable. The photograph at right was taken on just such a morning. The flying was superb! Be prepared for an early wake-up call, though! Balloons are usually launched just at sunrise, or about 2-3 hours before sunset.

"Red Sky Morning, Sailors Take Warning" doesn't always hold true. This was a great morning to fly!