by Gary Rominger
The anticipation is exhilarating; the launch is exciting; the chase is mental gymnastics; the landing means it’s time for the hard work. There is nothing that can ruin an otherwise perfect day as quickly as the thought of having to pack a thousand pounds of equipment for a half mile through wet thistles and then over a barbed-wire fence just to get to the chase vehicle.
Landings are a big part of the sport of ballooning; every flight has at least one. Some are perfect (as a student pilot, while trying out a balloon I was thinking of buying, I landed it in the back of the pickup truck. That did it-I wrote the check!) Others are troublesome, like having to carry the system out from a less-than-wonderful landing spot. (One pilot for whom I was crew chief was given the fast food award-for numerous carry outs.) Few, thank goodness, are absolute disasters.
Unlike the launch, the landing does not require the crew to be there. Any pilot worth his certificate must be able to safely land the balloon without any assistance on the ground. This is basic. Yet, I have often seen crews rush to the landing site, or to where they thought it would be, as if their not being there would prevent the balloon from ever returning to earth. Granted, it can make the landing easier and safer to have crew there, but it is not a necessity.
At the launch, the pilot gives detailed instructions on what everyone is to do: hold open the throat, operate the fan, stabilize with the crown line, etc. At the landing the pilot is busy watching the ground, turning off the pilot light, pulling the vent line, and keeping an eye on the passengers. There is no time to give the crew instructions. Of course every crew has been given detailed training on landings during practice sessions, right? No? Maybe we better run over them here.
There is nothing wrong with being at the landing site. It is a badge of honor to be able to calculate the landing spot, get there before the balloon, and help bring it down. I enjoy picking a spot out in front of the balloon and acting as a target. See if the pilot can land it where you are (and where you know recovery will be a piece of cake!).
When you are in the landing area, don’t get knocked down by the balloon. If the balloon is moving laterally, remember to stay to the side of or behind the basket as you grab it-never in front of it. A 1500 pound system with passenger weight added and four tons of air in the envelope has a lot of inertia. It constitutes a nearly unstoppable force; you are not an immovable object!
Under certain conditions, gentle wind and a tight landing spot, the pilot may choose to use a drop line. This is one landing situation that does require crew on the ground. It is also one of those situations that requires training and practice. Untrained crew members will often try to grab the line and pull the balloon down. Wrong! It’s the pilot’s job to land it. Correct procedure is to grab the line and stand still, acting as an anchor point. This will stop any forward movement of the balloon without pulling it down. By moving at angles to the hovering balloon, the force of the wind will move the basket to the position you want, without the strenuous tugging and jerking that wears out the crew and gives the pilot fits. Oh, this is no time to have recapped the leather gloves in the chase vehicle. A drop line should only be handled with gloves, and never wrapped around any part of the body.
Perhaps the greatest value of the crew during the landing is to secure permission to land on private property. This is not always possible, but an attempt should be made to contact the owner or tenant before entering the field. Remember, the pilot can land the balloon without you so there’s plenty of time to knock on the door, explain the situation, and get permission to recover the balloon. If the landowner is found, be sure to invite them out to witness the recovery. The pilot may even choose to take them up on a tethered ride before deflating the envelope. Landowner relations are important to the sport and the meeting the crew is most likely the first encounter a landowner will have with a landing balloon.
Every pilot has a particular way of doing things. Packing up is no different. There are at least five ways to pack an envelope into the carry bag. There are equally as many ways of packing the crown line. If you are not sure how the pilot you’re crewing for wants things done, it is best to ask first and act later. There is no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid errors made because no questions were asked.
The season is almost here-spring has sprung in many parts of the country. Now is the time to get out there and practice the procedures that make a good crew into a great crew. If your pilot doesn’t suggest it, perhaps you should. Over the winter some skills may have atrophied a bit and need to be reinforced. A little practice now will make for a much better season ahead.
Soft landings!
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