Landowner Relations
Our Special Report this month is on landowner relations. Surely there is no single
issue more critical to the survival of our sport. If we’ve no place to takeoff or land, then
there is little else worth worrying about-including an instructor rating, minimum safe
altitudes, transponders, airspace restrictions, and so on. All of those other issues have
moved us to action as a national community.
Balloon Life recently visited with the new Chair for the Balloon Federation of America’s Landowner Relations Committee, Earl Miller. Inside are his thoughts on what can be accomplished in this vital area.
Albuquerque, New Mexico not only has the largest balloon event in the world but, also the largest balloon community. Balloon Life spoke with the Albuquerque Aeronautic Ascension Association LOR committee to find out how they use a proactive program to keep the sky friendly. Balloon Life also examines other successful ideas to help establish good community relations.
Finally we talked with Dan Sherrill this year’s Event Director for the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship in Columbia, Missouri. Last year’s competition map looked like a blood bath with all the red zones on it. At that point the balloons had not even flown yet. See what the Dan and his staff are doing to change the situation around.
Seven Continents
In December Bill Arras, Redmond, Oregon, became the first person to fly a hot air
balloon on all seven continents. The last flight was at Patriot Hills, Antarctica. When the
opportunity presented itself to fly there Bill jumped at it. It would complete a goal that he
had set for himself several years earlier. The only problem was he had yet to fly in
Africa and Australia. A few phone calls and a quick around-the-world [airplane] flight to
accomplish those flights and he was ready to venture to a vary hostile environment. Bill
shares his story with Balloon Life.
Tie-Off
Like wearing a seatbelt you never know when your tie-off during inflation will come
in handy. Bill Arras can attest to that on his second inflation attempt in Antarctica. A
pibal when straight up for thousands of feet before the inflation. During the inflation a
wind came from nowhere that would end his ballooning expedition. Luckily Bill had the
good sense to tie-off before the inflation began.
Malcolm McLeod shares a simple design for a tie-off that does not require metal parts that might hit someone in the basket or on the ground when it is released.
Table of Contents