What a difference a year can make.
The 1997 Fiesta was plagued with bad weather including some light snow on
the last day. The 1998 edition had nine days when balloons flew, although
not every day was a great day for flying balloons.by Tom Hamilton
What a difference a year can make.
The 1997 Fiesta was plagued with bad weather including some light snow on
the last day. The 1998 edition had nine days when balloons flew, although
not every day was a great day for flying balloons.
Fiesta has continued to tweak the process of checking pilots in. This year the official video dropped the cute theme and was edited down to less than 30 minutes. This allowed the tape to be shown every half hour and allow pilots to move through the registration process quicker.
Another major change this year saw the pilot pack reduced to $110 in play money. Money that could only be spent at the official KAIBF souvenir concessionaires. A decision that did not sit well with all.
Another major change this year was the inability of pilots to use the Sandia Indian Reservation bordering on the North for launching. Last year Fiesta had negotiated a deal with Reservation, but thought that a large area would be available to takeoff from. The major impact of losing this option was to have pilots flooding the small community of Corrales, North and across the Rio Grande. This really makes the competition a better test of skills, having to fly in several miles instead of toeing up to a one mile perimeter.
Fortunately for all the famous
Albuquerque Box was in evidence on many of the weeks morning flights. Opening
day had many of the aeronauts making their way to the river dipping down
in the Rio Grande.
Fiesta has changed in many ways. A major change in Fiesta has been the social events. Gone are most of the all together parties. Given the size of the event many of the old functions are no longer practical. What has filled the void are "private" parties on the field. After flying you can see the "circled wagons" scattered about.
One of the biggest gatherings is the Adams Family (see Balloon Life, Sam Baxter, July 1998), a group who all fly Adams Balloons. Other theme groups include the Vikings (August 1998), Mama's Feel Good School of Ballooning, and the Internet tailgate party. Groups from regional areas hook up and others take the opportunity to hang out in their favorite balloon manufacturer tent.
The old time favorite party at
Fiesta is the mid-week Zoo party. In the 18 years as a pilot at Fiesta this
is the one thing that hasn't changed. Lots of animals, food, drink, and
friends. The great lawn at the Zoo is a pleasant change from the dusty,
sun baked launch field.
Fiesta has become so big that it is really many small events bundled into one large extravaganza. Fiesta even has its "sky boxes" at the South end of the field, better known as corporate row. Here the main sponsors are able to entertain is a grand fashion.
Fiesta is the defacto convention for ballooning. If you want to see ballooning this is the place to be. Every US certificated balloon manufacturer is here. They may not have a booth, but they are on the field and only to happy to answer questions, show products, and take order if you wish. It doesn't stop with the big ticket items, just about all the none food vendors have balloon related something or other.
One of the best spots
on concession row is free and fun. The Balloon Explorium allows kids of
all ages to gets there hands on some of the equipment, learn about ballooning,
and even watch some of the balloon flights, hot air and gas, tracked by
a computer. A special area in the Explorium conducts programs for school
classes.
Besides the nine morning hot air balloon launches Fiesta scheduled two evening balloon glows, a gas balloon flight with late afternoon/early evening launch, a special shapes glow, and an afternoon special shapes flight. Only the big opening weekend 250 balloon glow had to be canceled. The wind was so strong that Fiesta pulled the plug on it early.
Thursday evening saw perhaps the
largest crowd in Fiesta history. The occasion was the special shapes glow.
An estimated crowd of more than 200,000 people tried to get on the field.
Traffic was so backed up on the Interstate that a lot of spectators never
even made it to the vehicle entrance before the fireworks finale had concluded.
Special shapes are always a crowd pleaser. Perhaps the favorite special shape for Fiesta this year was the Royal Canadian Mountie on Horseback. At 130 feet high and 100 feet long this balloon was easily identified in the air. The inaugural flight earlier in the year celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
A favorite new shape for my crew was Rubber Duckie. Every time they saw the balloon, or someone mentioned the name, they would break into a rendition of, Rubber Duckie your the one, you make bath time so much fun...
Another special evening
program is the annual gas balloon race. This year's event needed to be postponed
several days because of weather. First windy conditions in Albuquerque and
then questionable weather in the direction of flight. 19 balloons were entered,
but three had to withdraw as the week pasted. The distance competition was
won by the husband/wife team of Troy Bradley and Tami Stevenson-Bradley.
They flew a distance of 1,388.8 miles landing in Canada.
Hot air balloon competition saw former two time National Champion Steve Jones win the overall. Steve was awarded a Cameron Balloon for his efforts.
The logistical planning of an event the size of Fiesta is enormous. Balloon Fiesta State Park becomes the second largest city in New Mexico during the nine day run. A city within a city with all the necessary support services.
Next year's theme is "Beat Gravity." The greatest show in ballooning takes off October 2, 1999.
