Tis The Season

With each passing year the field of balloon teams grow, planning non-stop around-the-world flights. This winter season six projects hope to capture the holy grail of ballooning. The media frenzy to cover these teams has begun. Every day brings a multitude of new phone calls from print, radio and television reporters wanting to know who will take off first, which team will win the Budweiser Cup, why are they trying to accomplish the feat.

Should no team make it around-the-world in the next few months, more teams are planning an assault in the southern hemisphere next summer.

To help you sort out the players, Balloon Life presents its Special Report RTW Scorecard, reviewing all the present contenders.

Eight are known. The capsule pictured near by is registered to Julian Nott. Nott had planned to make the attempt originally with a superpressure balloon in the 1980's. Later he switched to a Roziere concept. Later still, he had dropped out of sight. He may be back.

Texas Floods

When flooding destroyed some Texas towns in mid-October, the balloon community swung into action. Balloonist Dr. Tim Brady, who had worked with Tempest Technology in developing Positive Pressure Ventilation, marshaled the Tri County Texas Balloon Association, putting their inflation fans to work helping to dry out and salvage homes in the area. Cold Air to the Rescue tells the story of how the balloon community helped, starting on page 12.

Serena's Song

For the past six years, Gary Waldman and his friend, Phil Gray have spent weekends giving disabled children and adults free tethered hot air balloon rides. Using a specially-built basket, and a lovely blue balloon, the non-profit group has given rides to over 6000 disabled people in Serena's Song, named for Gary's teen-age daughter, whose first ride in a balloon inspired the project. It is the world's only FAA approved wheelchair-accessible hot air balloon.

Serena's Song has lost its sponsor, and may be unable to continue its public service. If you are able to help, or if you wish to sponsor this effort which reflects so well on the ballooning community, please write Gary at Special Ballooning Adventures Inc., Serenity Ranch, Box 282, Correctionville, Iowa, 51016 or call him at 712-372-4373 or 712-372-4421.