News Over Sao Paulo

January 25, 1997 the city of Sao Paulo turned 443 years old. Nowadays great adventures, feats, works and discoveries are followed by newspapers, magazines, television and via Internet. Due to all this information exchange we are interested in various kinds of sport, cultural and scientific activities. Being fanatic balloonists we were following what, for us was a proof of true determination: three balloon teams - Breitling Orbiter, Virgin Global Challenger, and Solo Spirit - trying to fly around the world in a balloon. While we were keeping our fingers crossed for their success, here in Sao Paulo we were determined to make the first flight of a special shape balloon over our gigantic city.

The special shape balloon chosen for this special occasion was O Estado de S. Paulo, one of the largest Brazilian newspaper. Built by Rubic Balloons, this rolled up newspaper shape was their 30th balloon and fourth shape balloon. Rubens and Rui Kalousdian would pilot this gift to the city on its founders day.

While we hoped for the accomplishment of the around the world flight by the three teams we were finishing making our newspaper shape balloon. It was an incredible time: every minute we had we would access the Internet and anxiously follow the adventures as they unfolded. At this point Steve Fossett was the only one who could fulfill the dream. Fossett in the air and we on the ground, both teams chasing an objective. The day Steve Fossett couldn't fly over Libya we painted approximately 3,000 letters on our "newspaper" balloon. Up in the sky, where Steve was, the temperature was -10¡C, and down here, at Rubic Balloons, the temperature was 30¡C. We wanted to give him a bit of this warmth and enthusiasm. In between paragraphs we would take showers. We don't know if our cheerfulness reached Steve Fossett's team, but certainly his example gave us enthusiasm so we could finish everything in time.

The balloon was completed and we went to a small town in the countryside called SumarŽ to make all the final adjustments and fly the balloon for the first time. But the weather conditions were not favorable. We could only tether and take some pictures. We tried again two days later, but St. PeterÑthe Saint who is considered to be responsible for weather conditions in BrazilÑdidn't allow it. He wanted to leave all the excitement of the opening flight for the celebration of the 443rd year of Sao Paulo.

In less than two weeks we organized the teams, obtained all the authorizations, and defined the flight strategy.

Flight Strategy

Two balloons, one regular shape and the newspaper, would make the flight to help facilitate the identification of the wind layers and direction. The city of Sao Paulo is more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) long, covered by buildings with few potential landing spots.

We requested a NOTAM (an authorization to fly over the city), which is not very easy to obtain due to the city's two major airports and their intense air traffic. This also left very little space for the balloon flight and landing.

Wind directions were analyzed and we chose three probable launch sites, planned our route, and waited for January 25 to arrive.

Every six hours we analyzed the winds and the cold fronts which are constant in Sao Paulo. The best wind for us was from 270¡-360¡. This northwest wind would allow a flight over the most crowded and talked about neighborhoods in the city, as well as avoid the airport restricted areas.

The weather forecast was not favorable and the rain wouldn't stop. We only had January 25 to do this flight because this was the date that interested our client.

The night before we couldn't go to sleep. It rained, drizzled and the wind blew in the wrong direction. At 5:30 a.m. we measured the wind speed on the highest place downtown-25 knots. The direction was what we need but the speed wasn't. With that kind of wind speed it would be impossible to land in this city covered with skyscrapers.

We went to Charles Miller Square and continued to measure the wind speed and wait for sunrise, which would be 6:38 a.m.

This square, located just beside Pacaembu Stadium is near the most important financial and residential center of the city. The meteorological office at Congonhas Airport was consulted every 15 minutes. Our local conditions were constantly monitored with pibal releases.

The wind began to settle and our inspiration was increasing. We prepared the balloons side by side. A waiter wearing white gloves served all the spectators and the teams a nice breakfast, including Brazilian coffee, orange juice, croissants and water. Don't ask about the champagneÑit came later.

How good it is to see things starting to work out well! The first balloon was up and 20 seconds later so was Rui and Rubens' Newspaper balloon. A helicopter followed to take pictures. The view was incredible. Everyone looking through the windows in the buildings, from the streets, from the bakeries, news agents, people who were coming from parties, and athletes. Sao Paulo's anniversary started with the balloons taking off at 7:00 a.m. 50 minutes later both balloons landed in Ipiranga Museum's park, the same place where Brazil's Independence was declared on September 7, 1822.

Here, in Brazil, when we start a ballooning course we say that a balloon can't be conducted. But we contradicted this reality since two weeks earlier we planned this flight, which happened as expected. That is, we flew over the neighborhoods we intended to and landed exactly where we were given permission. We certainly couldn't be sure that everything would work out perfectly, but in the end it was a successful flight.

Flying over a city of this size was an amazing experience. We are certain that with this flight many people of Sao Paulo who may have only heard of a balloon had a chance to see this flight and experience the sensation that we, balloonists, love so much.

We take this opportunity to publicly thank all member of the Rubic Balloon team of O Estado de S. Paulo, Department of Civil Aviation, administration of Sao Paulo parks, and all our friends than chased after us. We offer a special toast, now with champagne as the tradition goes, to this magazine for publishing the story. The story of a daring and tranquil flight which generates a reflection upon this great city of ours, Sao Paulo. Seen from a balloon it is so beautiful, ingenious and solitary as an art work that is valued by some and despised by others.