POSTFLIGHT

Who’s Who in Canada

Editor: I would like to clarify an issue that has emerged as the result of announcements published in the Preflight section of the July and December issues of Balloon Life (Raymond Munro obituary and Munro Trust).

The "Canadian Balloon Association (CBA)" is a non-profit association, and is recognized as the national balloon organization by the Aero Club of Canada and the International Ballooning Commission (CIA). It has most of the Canadian balloon pilots and technical officials as members and represents them nationally with government regulatory bodies, the Aero Club and internationally with other ballooning organizations. The CBA was the official host of the 1991 World Hot Air Balloon Championship held in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada.

The Canadian Sport Ballooning Association is not either federally incorporated or registered nor is it incorporated or registered in the province of Ontario (where it purports to be based). It is not associated with any other provincial or national ballooning organization in Canada.


Alex Nagorski

Past President-CBA

Sherwood Park, Alberta

Landowner Relations

Editor: As balloonists, how we act toward landowners plays an important part in our sport. Whether you belong to a balloon club or not is not the issue. That all balloonists understand the importance of landowners, is the issue!

Remember, these people vote, and know how to contact their Senators. Together with the FAA, they can take the fun out of ballooning. They can put an end to ballooning.

I’ll agree, there are people out there that don’t like balloons or anyone on their property, but there is probably a reason. There are a lot of people who could go either way. Their feelings about ballooning depend on us. Ten years ago, in certain areas, most people didn’t mind what balloonists did. The area was wide open. Well, things have changed. With development, more people have moved in, so those landing sites we thought we had are going.

Instead of fighting the system, we must learn to work with it. You might find that it’s not that hard. For example, one of our problems concerns pilots who land in farmers’ fields. If every one of us would try to avoid this, we might improve our image and our relationship with farmers. Of course, there are times when it can’t be helped.

So let’s use a little common sense and try to land near the edge of the field and avoid the crops. If you miss the edge of the field and land in crop, walk the balloon to the edge. Instruct your crew and any members of the public that might show up to stay clear of private property until permission to trespass is granted. Remember, that crop is his money, not yours!

If the field has livestock in it, avoid it completely rather than risk doing damage to the farmer’s animals and causing animosity with their owner. How many of us would tolerate someone making ruts in our front yard, damaging our personal property or frightening our prize canine or feline out of their wits???

I’m not saying that everyone out there is a problem, but the problem is out there! Balloonists who observe abuse of landowners by other balloonists or their crews need to get involved. The sooner that balloonists and crew get as passionate about courtesy to landowners as they are about flying itself, the better it will be for the sport.

Finally, if controlling ourselves fails, I’m sure that landowners will be able to locate a legislator or government agency to assist them in encouraging us to see it their way. Before that happens, let’s remember that landowners are the most important friends we could have. Let’s respect their rights. That’s the most important issue.


Jim Doerer, Chairman

Great Eastern Balloon Assn.

Landowner Committee

Parachute Top

Editor: Someone needs to respond to your Parachute Top article in the December 1994 issue. Since I didn’t see anything in the January issue, I guess I’ll have to take a stab at it. This relates to the "invention" of the parachute top and whence came the name for it. I thought this information was more widely known, but apparently it is not. I don’t know who actually applied the name "parachute top", but its source will be obvious once you learn that the idea was not original with Tracy Barnes, but was invented many years earlier.

This type of venting top was, in fact, invented in 1946 by Charles Rohulick. However, it was not for a balloon, but for-what else-a parachute. They copy of Patent 2,404,659 enclosed clearly shows similarities to the balloon top, and one would probably make a good guess that this is the true antecedent of the balloon control device.


Jim Winker

Sioux Falls, South Dakota