The superior pilot uses their superiorjudgement to avoid situations that require the use of their superior skill.
In this space one year ago I penned an editorial, Dry Thunderstorms, where event meteorologists were taken to task for the quality of weather information given at pilot briefings. In part I wrote, "Balloon pilots at events are due a greater care in the weather information provided to them."
There is no harder decision in ballooning then to keep balloons on the ground when, maybe, just maybe, a successful flight can be pulled off. It's like playing Russian Roulette.
Pressure, financial or other, to fly may lead a pilot to push their limits. While those limits are an individual decision, what happens when mob psychology is added to the equation?
I call it the "inflator fan syndrome." A group of pilots will be standing around wondering whether it is a good idea to fly. As soon as the first inflator fan starts, reason is cast to the wind and the race is on to get balloons into the air. Most often you will witness such behavior at an organized balloon event.
Perhaps there is no other place where the pressure is greater than at a balloon event. Sponsors have shelled out serious dollars and want a return on their investment. Vast throngs have paid for the privilege to see balloons fly and will be disappointed, at the least, if the balloons do not ascend. The organizer/promoter has promised to present a spectacular show.
The concluding flight at this year's U.S. National Championship is a prime example of allowing pressure to rule over reason. After a week of dismal weather Saturday night's pole grab looked doomed by high winds.
There was hope that maybe, just maybe, the winds at 7:00 p.m., an hour before sunset, would slow to the waiver limit of 10 knots. The pilots were sent out for the fly-in task and advised to listen to a local radio station where the final decision would be announced. At 7 pilots were advised that the decision window had been extended a few more minutes. Finally there was a lull and the wind dropped to 10. The wind did not subside for long but, the flight was on.
At the main field stand ten poles rising into the air. Attached to the top of each is a tethered helium balloon. Each balloon has a tag representing a different prize. If any prize is not taken it will be given away in a random drawing from the pilots who answered roll call, whether they fly or not.
Upwind of the target area stands a tall tree line. A tree line that under these wind conditions will have a rotor on the lee side. Between the tree line and the grab poles is part of the spectator area, filled with cheering balloon watchers.
A short distance downwind of the grab poles stands the metal building were the pilot briefing is held. At this wind speed you do not want to be on the vent as you pass the ten poles. The strings attaching the tethered balloons are blown parallel to the ground.
One by one the pilots come inbound to the field. By a ratio of approximately two to one they are driving their chase vehicle instead of a balloon. The few who try generally miss by a wide margin. One balloon comes over the upwind tree line and has to burn to overcome the rotor. Flags atop their pole on an adjoining hillside are "starched."
Could a flight be made, safety? Those who flew dodged the bullet.
The balloon coming closest to the ten poles chose to stay several hundred feet in the air and just display their corporate message for the crowd to view.
At the drawing awarding the prizes each pilot receives one ticket. The organizer then awards each of the pilots who flew three extra tickets. What message does this send? There are many unhappy pilots.
Additional rules of the game are broken. And, at one point the fiesta event director says, "We are fiesta and, we don't have any rules."
An unfortunate end to what was otherwise a very well run three years in Columbia. For the record, the Balloon Federation of America's Competition Division was not a party to this flight.
"It's the pilot's decision" not withstanding, mob psychology puts a different spin on the responsibility of the event director when making a fly/no-fly call. With calls like the one above it puts in new perspective "hold harmless" agreements and naming additional insured.
Commercial ride operators often take heat for flying under marginal conditions. Resulting injury claims are blamed for high insurance rates and bad publicity. Events directors who, likewise, hope for an empty chamber are playing a losing game.
When it's weather or whether... just say no.