Review by Diane Reim
When balloon pilots hear the term
"deflation aid" they are usually skeptical based on either personal
experience or reports from other pilots who have used deflation aids that
turned out to be less easy to use than expected, or gave less than satisfactory
results. Being a female pilot who is fairly small in stature, I have often
thought and said aloud while milking the envelope, "This is the worst
part of ballooning!" Until now.
There is a new product on the market, the patented Squeeze EZ that is proving to change the way pilots and crews feel about deflation aids. The Squeeze EZ is a bent pipe with a smooth finish. The best feature of the Squeeze EZ is it's ease of use. After gathering the envelope fabric at the throat of the balloon, you simply place the device over the fabric with the open end of the pipe facing the basket. Give the pipe a quarter turn clockwise and the fabric is securely through the "loop." No clips, buckles, or Velcro to attach! Two crew members, one on either side of the envelope, grip the pipe "handles" and proceed to walk toward the crown, pushing the Squeeze EZ as they walk.
Versatility is another key to the success of the Squeeze EZ. If preferred, rather than use the method above, crew members can rotate the device so that the loop is on the bottom and/or walk backwards towards the crown, pulling the device along. If at any time the deflation must be halted, simply sit the device on the ground, tilt backward towards the basket, and the air is restricted from flowing back into the section that is already deflated. You will find that you can even have inexperienced crew, or passengers work this device with ease of use, and enjoy it!
The device currently comes in two sizes. Size A fits balloons up to at least 150,000 cubic feet. Size B is for larger balloons up to approximately 250,000 cubic feet. The device is still being developed and tested to be more specific on Squeezer size to balloon size. Also, attached banners and some appendages do not present a problem as the fabric slides easily over the smooth finish.
I think the Squeeze EZ is definitely a product that every balloonist should add to his or here equipment checklist.
