Each of these components must be tended to each and every time the balloon is flown. As a crew member it is our responsibility to unload the equipment: envelope, gondola, inflator fan(s) and tarp(s) (which are optional) and then assemble them as per the pilot's (or crew chief's) instructions. Some pilots let their crews do everything short of actually flying and some pilots prefer to do most of the work themselves; most pilots fit somewhere in-between.

The Balloon Federation
of America (BFA) has a crew certification program available to anyone interested, with the main objective being to promote safety in ballooning.



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