Kids On The Crew

by Gary Rominger

I am a lucky pilot! I have two families that crew for me. My first crew family includes two year old and four year old boys. Mama and Papa do most of the work, but the boys are always there and have to be considered. Kieran, age 4, is not a problem during the launch activities-he’s there in his embroidered crew shirt with his leather gloves on- asleep in the truck. We expect to see his smiling face just about the time the envelope is packed in the bag and the food is ready to be served. His brother Connor, age 2, however, is wide awake and ready to go by 4 a.m., even when there is no ballooning, according to Mama and Papa.

Connor is right there ready to help. Move the basket, and Connor is likely to grab a handle and pull-the wrong way. Ditto moving the envelope bag. He’s even tried his hand at the crown line, with Papa’s help. However, Connor’s usual place is in the back of the pickup with the tailgate up, or in the cab of the second chase vehicle. It’s amazing how many permutations there are for setting the knobs and switches in a vehicle, and Connor has tried them all. Although he just celebrated his second birthday earlier this month, he shows signs of being a willing and knowledgeable crew member.

Okay, I admit that though they are an integral part of the chase team, their roles at this time are somewhat ceremonial. When he’s awake, Kieran is in charge of making sure the fire extinguisher is out and ready before the fan is started. He knows how to switch the fan off if called upon to do so. Connor’s main job is to supply hugs for the rest of the crew and to make sure there are no raisins or black olives that go uneaten after the flight.

The second crew family is still learning. Mom Stephanie is learning all the jobs of chase crew member, while 14 year old Nicholas is getting tall enough to attach suspension cables, and can hold the throat open with ease. He will be trained on crown line soon. Daughter Lindsay is borderline interested in helping, but can help most by helping keep an eye on Connor. Add Connie the Crew Chief, and I have a cracker-jack crew.

Not all children are interested in balloons. Those who grow up around them seem to either love them or hate them. Some balloonist’s children I have met are just a plain pain in the gluteus maximus. One local balloon family’s teenage daughter has not seen the balloon inflated and it is over a year old.

Is there a place for children in ballooning? You have probably already figured out that my position is Yes! I enjoy having children around the balloon and love to fly them in the basket. But there is another side of this. Balloon children have to be willing to cooperate with many adults, be willing to do what they are told by someone other than their parents, and ready to accept discipline from whoever is on the team. The adults have a role to play too, in that there are dangers in ballooning which have to guarded against.

Children have no place around the inflator fan, although I do believe that if they are old enough to accept some level of responsibility they should know what the kill switch is and how to use it. Similarly, young children should not be around ropes in which they might become entangled. They must not be riding in back of a pickup, and must be seat belted or in a child safety seat depending on their size. The pilot should take special precautions to tell his young "crew" that many things are not to be touched, but also must try to keep them involved and interested in what is going on around them.

So when does a young person become less of an aggravation and a real asset to the crew? Although they differ in size, strength and ability, most kids can be helpful with inflation and pack-up by the time they are 9 or 10 and become a full fledged crew member by 12 or 13. By the time they are 14 they can be familiar enough with the operation to get a student certificate and learn to fly the balloon. At 16 they can become a pilot and give the orders. Hey, Dad! Don’t you ever release that tie-off until I tell you to!

The young people around balloons today may well be the future of the sport. I encourage anyone who can tolerate the special effort it takes to have kids on the crew to try it. The rewards can be great.