A Guide to Crewing for Hot Air Balloons

Once the balloon has lifted off the crew should quickly gather up any equipment left on the field, stow it away in the chase vehicle and hit the road. The chase vehicle should always have a driver and a navigator for safety reasons. The chase driver should be someone who can concentrate on the driving without being distracted by the pretty balloons. The navigator and other crew people in the vehicle watch the balloons and direct the driver. The driver should obey all the laws of the road. Don't speed, run stop signs or traffic signals or anything else that will get you into trouble with the local authorities. Above all, be aware of other vehicles on the road and drive defensively. Often other vehicles will stop in the road to watch the balloon presenting a hazard to the driver who is not watching closely. Frequently the chase vehicle will stop to watch the progress of the balloon. Please consider the other vehicles on the road and don't just stop anywhere you please such as the middle of the road. Move the vehicle some distance off the road, into a parking lot or some similar safe place to stop so you don't disrupt traffic. A few more musts while driving are, do not drink while driving, use turn signals, do not speed and use your flashers when traveling slower than the rest of the traffic on the road.

There are 3 basic ways to chase a balloon. You can follow from behind, try to say as close to the balloon as possible or get out in front and anticipate the path of the flight. New chase drivers usually chase from behind, following the path of the balloon as closely as possible on available roads. Usually the more experienced driver will chase from out in front of the balloon, anticipating the path of the balloon and letting it come to him. Others stay as close to the balloon at all times during the flight. No one method is better than the other. This is just something that comes with experience. I suggest that the driver stay on paved roads as much as possible as dirt roads are hard on the equipment. Save the dirt roads for the actual landing site if it is off the main roads.

My crew chases from out in front because of the way I fly. I do not participate in sanctioned tasks, however, that does not mean that I do not compete. I compete with myself on every flight. After sending off a pibal and selecting a launch site I notify my driver and navigator of my intended landing site. I then spend the entire flight working toward that goal and I have about an 80% success factor. Often my chase crew will just head out for the intended landing site and just sit there waiting for me. They know that if the wind shifts and I cannot make the pre-selected site that I chose, I will radio with updated information.

If the pilot is doing some hedge hopping (low level flying) the crew can often save a problem by radioing information on live stock, hidden powerlines or other hazards in the balloon's path. This is always welcome information. Often the driver and navigator will welcome assistance from the pilot as to what roads to take for the chase. In that case the pilot will radio down suggested routes. Some drivers and navigators resist this information. I once radioed my chase to suggest a turn and the response I got was, "OK, burn now." Needless to say I don't drive the vehicle and they don't fly the balloon. I no longer offer suggestions unless they ask for help.

My crew chief and I have worked out a little code that we use over the radio for various situations. I follow a rule when flying passengers that the first two tanks belong to the passengers and the third tank is mind to land on. As soon as I switch to the third tank I am looking for a landing site. When the first two tanks are down to 5-10 % and I switch to the last tank I radio, "Switching to 3." This lets the crew know that landing is imminent and they should come to the balloon to assist in any way necessary. We also have some codes for various problem situations. I don't like to go into detail with passengers if something goes wrong. I feel it is better to just tell them that there has been a change in plans and we are landing NOW. I remind them of the preflight briefing and reiterate the landing procedures. The crew, however, needs to know the nature of the problem so they can take the appropriate action.

Training a driver often takes years and years of flights. I have never run into a "natural" driver. Once a good driver is found and trained they become the most valuable person on the crew. How a person drives chase can affect the whole attitude of the pilot during the flight. If the chase is in sight during the flight the pilot has a feeling of well being. If, however, the pilot takes off and never spots the chase vehicle it can be very distracting. The pilot will spend the whole flight looking for the chase instead of enjoying the flight and looking for the landing site. On a day with light winds my crew will often stop for coffee and donuts. That does not bother me because they know the primary objective is to be there when I land.

I'm going to back track just a little bit and cover some of the good stuff that can be found in a chase vehicle. I don't have all this stuff in mine, but my good friend Bill Hardin does and he swears by all the extra goodies.

Blanket - A clean wool blanket would be best to be used in case of shock or extreme cold weather.

Camera & film - To take pictures of the pretty balloons, but also to document damage to the balloon, vehicle, crops, etc., should it occur.

Champagne - For your after flight party and also for landowner goodwill.

Come-a-long/winch - To pull yourself or another vehicle out of a muddy field.

Compass - How many times have you radioed the chase to suggest a turn to the North and they radio back, "Which way is North?"

Cooler with ice, drinks, wet towel - For crew enjoyment, but also to offset dehydration or heat stroke.

Drinking cups (disposable) - At least one for each person for sanitary reasons.

Emergency phone numbers - Sheriff, power company, ambulance, careflight, fire department....

Fire extinguisher - For obvious reasons.

First Aid Kit - Complete and fully stocked. Also good to include calamine lotion, rubbing alcohol, eye drops, benadryl, aspirin, toilet paper and a first aid instruction book.

Flares - In case of a breakdown on the road.

Flashlight with extra batteries - Preferably two in case one does not work.

Foul Weather Gear - In case bad weather strikes.

Gasoline Can (full) - For fan or in case the chase vehicle runs out of gas.

Helium Tank - for Pibals.

Hot Drinks (coffee / hot chocolate) - In winter to keep crew comfortable.

Ice Scraper & Rock Salt - For those winter flights just in case.

Insect Repellent - To keep those pests away.

Lost Balloon Number - Established in advance in case the balloon and chase become separated.

Maps (city, county, state, TCA/Sectional) - Covering 100 miles in every direction from your proposed launch site.

Munchies & Snacks - For crew comfort.

Oil - For vehicle or fan should one turn out to be low.

Pibals - Balloons to assist the pilot in determining wind conditions aloft.

Pocket Knife - You never know when you have to cut something.

Proof of Insurance - For balloon and vehicle.

Radio (Aircraft, CB, FM) - To maintain contact with the balloon. Do your radio check before the lift off.

Shaving Cream (non menthol) - Great for burns.

Spare Tire, Jack & Lug Wrench - In case of a flat.

Telephone Money - Several quarters for emergency calls from a pay phone.

Tether Ropes - You never know when they'll be handy to get out of a jam or to give kids rides at the end of a flight.

Tool Kit - Fully equipped with all standard tools for working on the chase vehicle.

Tow Chain - To pull yourself or others out of trouble.

Trash Container - Don't be a litter bug.

Vehicle Registration - For the local police in case the driver gets stopped and must prove ownership.

Water - For many reasons including drinking, cooling down crew or passengers, etc.

Most pilots have a few war stories to tell about the chase vehicle. I once had a driver come to a place where the road had been washed out by a recent gully washer (rain storm to you non Texans). About 10 feet of road was gone with no easy way to get down to the new ground level and cross the small stream. Also, it was about 3 miles to the next road going where the balloon was flying. The road had a slight incline leading to the washed out spot so you can guess what the driver did. He backed the truck about 50 yards and floored the pedal. From the air it looked like one of Joey Chitwood's Hell Driver shows. He became airborne and made it across the 10 foot gap, but the landing was so hard that the timing chain was displaced by a tooth throwing the timing way off. I won't even tell you what it did to the front end alignment. Needless to say that gentleman never drove chase again. I also remember hearing a chase driver calling a fellow pilot on the radio to say, "The spare tire just fell out of the truck. Do you want me to go back and get it?" Just what the pilot needed; something else to worry about. Let me repeat: Please treat the chase vehicle as if it were your own.

Next month - The Landing.

As always, please forward comments or suggestions to me at P. O. Box 830011, Richardson, Texas 75083 or e-mail: balloon@flash.net