B a ll ooning

January/February 2011

JOURNAL OF THE BALLOON FEDERATION OF AMERICA

John Petrehn
Wins Worlds!
Pg 18

We Remember:
Richard Abruzzo &
Carol Rymer-Davis
Pg 27

Balloon Fiesta:
Year of the Rooster!
Pg 32
2 Ballooning www.bfa.net
 BFA
Corporate Members
These businesses support the Balloon
18 26
Federation of America. We appreciate
their patronage, and ask that you sup-
port them as well.

Albuquerque Int’l Balloon Fiesta

Cameron Balloons U.S.

Daniels Mktg. & Comm. Group

dba SONUS 32
Evolution Insurance Brokers

Hurricane Fans

IMC Balloon Agency, Inc.

Private Balloon Flights FEATURES:

Skyacht Aircraft Inc.

Soaring Adventures of America 2010 World

— Balloon Ride Network
Championship................. 18
Sundance Balloons

The Schantz Agency. Inc. Triumph & Tragedy

2010 Gordon Bennett..................... 26
Tempest Technology Corp.

T.H.E. Insurance Company Smiles Left Behind

remembering fallen friends....... . 27
Tudor Insurance Company

Royal Balloon - Cappadocia/Turkey Balloon Fiesta

Year of the Rooster.................... . 32
Why Not Aviation, LLC
when you’re hot,
your hot!....................... 41

departments: On the Cover:

Johnny Petrehn flying “Curves”
ViewPoint.............. 4 leads the pack to a target at the
PiBal..................... 6 World Championship. Petrehn went
NoTams................ 10 on to win the title for the 2nd time.
FareSkies............. 16
SkyLight.............. 50
Photo by:
Andrew Petrehn
SnapShots........... 52
PartingShot........ 54
January / February 2011 Ballooning 3
 ViewPoint Ballooning
Volume 44, Number 1
PUBLISHER
Balloon Federation of America
EDITOR
Glen L. Moyer
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Driver, Move that Bus! Gordon Schwontkowski,
Mike Bauwens, David Tanzer
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ron Behrmann
Fans of the TV show Extreme Makeover Home Edition will recognize the Cindy Petrehn
phrase above. Well, we don’t have a bus, heck we don’t even have a Paul D. deBurgeois
driver, but the idea is the same. If you didn’t notice outside, perhaps CONTRIBUTORS
you will inside. BALLOONING has undergone it’s own extreme make- Jeff Pestun, Chase Donner, Peter Cu-
over. neo, Bert Padelt, Ruth Lind, Drew Da-
vis. Paul Petrehn, Carlos Zuniga, Scott
Why? Well some said that after 10 years the old look had become McDaniel,Judy Holt, Ginger Gibson
comfortable. Some thought it predictable. Others felt it had become CARTOONIST
stale. So what was once old is now new again. Bill Novitsky

Among the changes, we’ve expanded the Notams section to add more
news, photos and short stories. We plan to rotate our recurring col-
umns while we’ll strive for more stand alone stories, hoping to expand
the diversity of the publication.
Beginning here and in future issues we hope to bring you more techni-
cal and safety items. We all love to read about favorite events and
see pretty pictures but the BFA is more than that. We’re pledged to
advance the safety of the sport so we’ll keep a sharp eye for articles
that help to educate and inform as well as those that entertain.
We’re introducing a new column on Photography by one of the best new
talents I’ve seen in this field, Paul D. deBurgeois, who also joins BAL-
LOONING as Staff Photographer.
We’ve even added a twist in our advertising. Check out the new Corpo-
rate Member Marketplace classifieds. These ads are free to our corpo-
rate members provided they offer you, the BFA member, a discount or
special offer on their products and services. In some cases, just one of
these offers might enable you to recoup your entire annual membership
dues or more.
And there are “call outs” on the cover alerting you to some of the
contents inside, Probably the most controversial step in the remake
but results from two individual focus groups of BFA members showed
support for them. Our brethren BBAC, AOPA and EAA all use them.
In time, they’ll serve as a handy reference when searching for articles
from past issues.
I hope you enjoy the new digs. Feel free to drop an email and let us
know what you think. (editor@bfa.net)
Finally, our series of historic vignettes, Moments in Time, takes a
break this issue so we may honor the memory of our friends Richard
Abruzzo and Dr. Carol Rymer-Davis.
BFA Board of Directors
Troy Bradley, President
Matt Fenster, Vice President
Cory Miller, Secretary
Kevin Knapp, Treasurer
Jim Thompson
(NAA Representative)
Debbie Standefer, Ken Walter
Andy Baird, Jim Lynch, Bill Hughes
BFA Office
Sharon Ripperger, Office Manager
P.O. Box 400, Indianola, IA 50125
515–961-8809 • 515–961–3537 fax
e-mail: bfaoffice@bfa.net
Internet: www.bfa.net
Editorial Office
BFA Publications
Glen Moyer, Editor
2585 Barron Rd, Keithville, LA 71047
Ph 318-925-4908
e-mail: editor@bfa.net
Ballooning is published bimonthly by the Balloon
Federation of America. This magazine is intended as
a source of general information only. The advice or
procedures described in this magazine are advisory
only, inasmuch as there may be other procedures
which are equally effective or better. To submit
articles, photographs or comments; or to request
advertising information, write: BFA Publications. 2585
Barron Rd., Keithville, LA 71047, Ph: 318-925-4908,
email editor@bfa.net Return postage must accom-
pany all articles and photographs submitted if they
are to be returned. No responsibility can be assumed
for unsolicited materials.
All letters sent to Ballooning will be treated as
unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright
purposes and are subject to Ballooning’s unrestricted
right to edit and comment editorially.
Acceptance of advertising does not in any way
imply endorsement of products or services by the
BFA or Ballooning. We welcome any report of inferior
merchandise/services delivered through our advertis-
ing so that corrective measures can be taken.
Send change of address information and
requests for membership materials to: Balloon
Federation of America, P.O. Box 400, Indianola, Iowa
50125, telephone 515–961–8809, fax 515–961–3537,
bfaoffice@bfa.net.
Contents ©2011 by the Balloon Federation of
America. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. Nothing
may be reprinted in whole or in part without written
permission from the publisher.

Glen Moyer
Editor

4 Ballooning www.bfa.net
January / February 2011 Ballooning 5
 PiBal
by glen moyer

Planet Earth Takes Flight

from 28,000 miles above earth in

1972. Those original photos also
inspired the children’s TV show The
Big Blue Marble.
The balloon is owned and
operated by Doug Grimes and
Patty Lewis, owners and founders
of Discover Balloons, the balloon
gift boutique located in Old Town,
Albuquerque, NM. Grimes, a com-
mercial balloonist for more than 30
years, serves a pilot while Lewis is
crew chief.
The pair met at a balloon
festival in San Diego, CA, where
Grimes was competing and Lewis
was crewing. Together they began

S
pectators at the annual Ballu-
nar Liftoff Festival at NASA’s
Johnson Space Center in
Houston, TX, saw the launch of a
new aerial vehicle this past Octo-
ber. While not destined to travel
in space, the NASA influence was
Photos courtesy Ginger Gibson and JSC
their balloon gift business by travel-
ing from event to event. In 1992
Lewis left her airline marketing job
to pursue their dream full time.
Two years later they unveiled their
first mail order balloon gift catalog
and still another year later, in 1995,

opened their permanent storefront

•original photo file used: world.topo.bathy.200407.png with a
resolution of 21,600 x 21,600 pixels at 100dpi
•photo was resized to 30,000 x 30,000 pixels at 72dpi
•original photo did not include clouds - these were added by
using other NASA satellite images
•each panel took approximately 32 minutes to print, total print
time was 30 days
•21 days to cut and sew the envelope
•14,800 sq.ft. of fabric used (11,000+ sq.ft. lost in printing)
•balloon is experimental
*Above facts courtesy of balloon builder Marcos Bonimcontro
undeniable. The vehicle? A balloon
called Planet Earth!
The theme of the balloon, the
globe, is not unique, but the bal-
loon’s construction is. It is the first
balloon to be built of 436 individu-
al 100% digitally imaged panels each
of which was then inkjet printed.
(And you think a repair on your
balloon is expensive?!)
The “art” for the balloon
came from public domain satellite
images originally used in 2003 by
researchers at NASA’s Goddard
Space Flight Center’s Laboratory
for Atmospheres to create the Big
Blue Marble Earth digital portrait.
Their work was inspired by and
reminiscent of original photographs
taken by the crew of Apollo 17
in Albuquerque.
So why this balloon? Discover
Balloons hopes the public will
join with NASA in its “continuing
exploration of our world from the
unique perspective of space,” says
Grimes.
“This Balloon also is designed
to foster awareness and help cel-
ebrate NASA’s proud legacy in hu-
man spaceflight as the Space Shuttle
program comes to its conclusion,”
added Lewis. (As this story is
written NASA announced a delay
of the final flight of Space Shuttle
Endeavor, and the last flight of the
program to no sooner than Febru-
ary, 2011.)

6 Ballooning www.bfa.net
January / February 2011 Ballooning 7
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8 Ballooning www.bfa.net

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January / February 2011
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Ballooning 9
 Notams
! news, notes, notices and reviews
Smile!
You’re on Target
T
he Great Mississippi River
Balloon Race marked its
25th anniversary last Octo-
ber with a tribute to a fallen friend.
57 pilots attended and flew the
first Dan Martindale Happy Teeth
Memorial Task.
Martindale was a long time
participant of the event and a Mis-
sissippi pilot. He died earlier last
year after an illness. He was widely
known for his good natured calm
demeanor and his “Happy Teeth”
balloon that promoted his profes-
sion as a dentist.
GMRBR Balloonmeister Bill
Cunningham designed the special
target with great pride since it was
The Dan Martindale Memorial “Happy Teeth” Target.
10 Ballooning
not a Jim Birk copy! The target was
used for a Gordon Bennett task,
baggies scored and were measured
to the X so long as they were inside
the smile - however the tooth with
the star was out of bounds. Birk
must have approved as he finished
3rd overall in the event. Pat Can-
non was second and Tom Ober-
hide, who had to be towed to shore
after attempting the event’s famous
“bomb the barge” task was the
eventual champion!
Silent Auction
Donors Wanted
N
oted British balloon artist
Mark Pacan is the latest to
donate to the upcoming
BFA silent auction. Pacan has of-
fered two of his best known works.
First is a print of his “2000 Bal-
loons”, the art project that took 7
years to complete. The other is his
one and only Albuquerque Interna-
tional Balloon Fiesta Official Poster
(not to be confused with his official
Special Shapes posters) that was
patterned after his work “Albuquer-
que Snow.” Pacan joins country
music superstars Brooks & Dunn
(embroidered concert jacket and
autographed Greatest Hits CD) as
early supporters of the auction.
In 2008 the BFA Silent Auc-
tion raised over $4,000 or the
equivalent of almost 80 new mem-
bers. Organizers are hoping for
similar results this year. The auction
takes place during the BFA Nation-
al Convention in April. To register
for the convention please visit www.
bfa50.com.
Anyone wishing to donate to
the auction for the benefit of the
BFA should contact Glen Moyer
(editor@bfa.net), Gary Ruble or
Sharon Ripperger at the BFA Of-
fice, 515-961-8809 or bfaoffice@
bfa.net. The BFA is a 501c3 non-
profit organization so donations are
tax deductible to the full extent of
the law.
Updates on the various items
that will be up for bid will be post-
ed frequently on the BFA website.
www.bfa.net
 Pilot Position Available!
For the Summer Season of 2011 in
Southeast Pennsylvania,
June to October.
Enjoyable, comfortable schedule
and flying area.

New
President Contact Stan Hess
is Balloonist shess@ushotairballoon.com

J Did You Know ?

ohn Grubbström has become the new FAI President
following his election at the FAI General Conference
held from 5 to 10 October 2010 in Dublin. He succeeds
Pierre Portmann, who stepped down from the FAI Presidency
after six years and was elected FAI President of Honour.
Grubbström is a Swedish medical doctor born in 1948. For just $10 you can join the BFA Gas
Before his election, he held several high positions in aviation
Division as a non-votiing Associate Member.
related non-profit organizations and the FAI, which included
President of the Swedish Air Sport Federation and FAI Vice
President. You’ll receive a world-class e-newsletter and
“We face large challenges and change of approach is a aid in the future development and growth of
condition for improvement. We need to use our full poten- this exciting part of the sport of ballooning.
tial within each area; be it airspace, safety, media, regulation,
youth recruitment or other areas of our joint concern. After
all, no one knows air sports better than we! Each of us has Just check the box on your
some second competence we can contribute with. Common renewal application
well known goals where everybody contributes on national or call the BFA Office for details today!
and international levels are paramount. Each and every one of
us must step down from the gallery and join the team in the
field,” said Grubbström.
A holder of the Hot Air Private Balloon License since
1974, Grubbström has been a frequent competitor (he took
The More You Know Builds
part in the World Air Games 2009 in Turin) and official in hot
air ballooning, having flown in over 20 countries on all conti- Value In Your Membership!
nents. He has been a Jury member, Steward and Competition
Director of numerous events, including World championships.
Honorary President of the Swedish Ballooning Federa-
tion since 1985, he was awarded with the FAI Airsport Medal
in 1998 and with the Royal Swedish Aero
Club Gold Medal in 2004.

January / February 2011 Ballooning 11

 Notams
! news, notes, notices and reviews

BFA/HACD Board member Andy Baird (l) presents

Bruce Bussey of Longview, TX with the HACD’s Most
Swiss Balloon
Improved Pilot award at the AGM in Albuquerque.
NM. In a touch of irony Bruce and his brother Bill tied
Fabric Mill Meyer-
for the award! Ron Behrmann photo
Mayor to Offer
BFA Second Trophy
Honors Race!

Members
O
n Saturday, 4 June 2011,
the second Meyer-Mayor

T
Trophy will take place in
he BFA held its Annual General Membership Meeting at Bal-
Neu St.Johann in Switzerland’s
loon Fiesta once again in October 2010. At the conclusion of the
Toggenburg Valley. All pilots who
meeting numerous annual awards were announced including two
are interested in participating are
recipient for the BFA’s highest honor, the Shields-Trauger Memorial
invited to this fly-in. The MM Tro-
Award. Colonel Joe Kittinger and Lou Billones were so honored. Both of
phy will be organised by the local
their awards will be presented at the 50th anniversary convention in Des
weaving mill, Meyer-Mayor AG,
Moines, IA in April, 2011. Other award recipients included:
which as a renowned manufacturer
•Great Eastern Balloon Association given by Bill Hughes-Northeast region
of synthetic balloon fabrics has
•Barbara and Steve Stokoe given by Jim Lynch- Southeast Region
close ties with ballooning.
•Roy Caton given by Kevin Knapp- at large
“With the MM Trophy, we
•Bill Zangs given by Ken Walter- Great Lakes region
would like to provide balloon pilots
•Pat Brake given by Shelley Caraway- Southwest region
with an opportunity to demonstrate
•Sharon and Edd Higabee given by Andy Baird- at large
their flying skills and then to spend
•Bob Tyszka given by Cory Miller- Western Region
a few convivial hours with other
•Presidents award was given to Maury Sullivan by Troy Bradley for his
balloon teams in the Toggenburg,”
generous commitment of time, unwavering support and continual dedica-
says company owner André Meyer.
tion to the Balloon Federation of America.
In the Meyer-Mayor Trophy, pilots
HACD Awards:
have to try to manoeuvre their
•National Points Leader 2009- Nicholas Donner
hot-air balloons as close as possible
•Highest ranking Rookie 2009- Rhett Heartsill
to the target placed on the ground
•Highest Ranking Female 2009- Cheryl Edwards White
(diameter: 75 metres) and to drop a
•Highest ranking Senior Pilot 2009- Joe Heartsill
marker on it. The rules of the com-
•Most improved pilot 2009- Bruce Bussey
petition stipulate that the hot-air
•Most Improved pilot 2009- William Bussey
balloons must start in the morning,

Got Coins? Now Available!

The first minting of the BFA’s first commemorative coin is now
complete. These beautiful bronze finish coins are without question
the most unique collectible available to celebrate the BFA’s first
half century of service to balloonists. These coins are in stock and
available now for immediate delivery but the supply is limited.
Only 100 were minted and no more will be made until these
are sold out. A $19.95 value, on sale now for just $14.95
with no individual limit. Buy yours today through the
BFA office by email: bfaoffice@bfa.net or phone 515-961-
8809. Visa and MC accepted or buy online in the
BFA Store at www.bfa.net with Paypal.
and at a distance of at least 15 kilo-
metres from the target. The Meyer-
Mayor Trophy will be won by the
pilot whose marker is closest to the
target. He or she will be awarded
the MM Trophy, a challenge trophy
created by the St.Gallen artist Josef
Tannheimer, who is a silversmith
and goldsmith by trade.
If weather conditions on Sat-
urday, 4 June 2011, do not allow
for flying, then the Meyer-Mayor
Trophy will take place on Sunday, 5
June 2011, or possibly only on
Saturday, 11 June 2011.

12 Ballooning www.bfa.net
FAA Wants to See You!

T
he FAA is proposing that all pilot certificates include
photos of the certificate holder. This action follows a
requirement that all pilot certificates be made of plastic
and contain security features, such as a hologram and an
ultraviolet-sensitive layer, to prevent tampering, altering and
counterfeiting.
“The Department of Transportation is committed to keep-
ing the traveling public safe,” said Transportation Secretary
Ray LaHood. “This is an important safeguard to help make
sure individuals can’t pose as pilots, whatever their intentions.”
Under the new FAA proposal, pilots would obtain new
certificates on which their photograph would appear with a
proposed expiration date of eight years. At the end of that time
period, pilots would need to update their photo and obtain a
new certificate. “Our current certificates are plastic and tamper-
resistant, but this proposal will make them even more secure,”
said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.
If the proposal is finalized as proposed, all new airman
certificates and flight instructor certificates would have to in-
clude a photograph. Existing pilots with a current commercial
pilot certificate would have four years to comply, while a pilot
with an airline transport pilot rating would have three years to
obtain a new certificate with a photo. Existing private, recre-
ational or sport pilot certificate holders would have five years to
comply with the new requirement.
If finalized, the resulting final regulation will fulfill a provi-
sion of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act,
which requires the FAA to issue plastic, tamper-resistant pilot
certificates with photos.
Under the proposal, the cost of the new pilot certificate
would be $22. That amount is comparable to drivers’ license
fees in many states and would have to be renewed every eight
years.
The comment period for the proposed rule ends
February 17, 2011.

NASHVILLE; THE NEW NAPA VALLEY?

P
roving there is life after
country music stardom, Kix
Brooks is entering a new
balloon venture. Located some
25 miles south of Nashville and
founded by Brooks, Arrington
Vineyards is turning Tennessee into
wine country. Established in 2003
Arrington Vineyards has grown to
be one of the Southeat’s premiere
wineries.Now the winery is offering
intimate balloon ride experiences
for up to four people in 3 different
packages that can include wine tast-
ings and gourmet picnics.
The balloon is a FireFly enve-
lope, royal blue with silver art, over
an Aerostar bottom end with Zone
Five burners. The set up was chosen
by Kix and his longtime Brooks &
Dunn balloon pilot Joe Shevenell.
Shevenell tells BALLOONING,
“I have over 1500 hours in FireFly
Ace High Ballooning. For more on
balloons and love the Flexnet sys-
the winery, including the oppor-
tem. I also like the Aerostar Zone
tunity to join their mailing list and
Fives, making this the best of both
wine club, or to learn more about
worlds.”
the balloon rides, log on to www.
Both Brooks and winery
arringtonvineyards.com.
partner John Russell are actively
pursuing their LTA pilot licenses.
For now the winery has contracted
with nearby pilot Bob Grimes of

January / February 2011 Ballooning 13

 Notams
! by j.d.huss
Aircraft Re-Registration:
Now Required
A
ll good things must to
come to an end and, as
of October 1, 2010, our
permanent aircraft registration has
ended. Amendment 29 to FAR
Part 47 Aircraft Registration now
limits the registration of an aircraft
to 36 calendar months. The new
rule, FAR Section 47.40 explains
all this in detail. (Google FAR Part
47 and select the www.faa-aircraft-
certification.com/FAR-Part-47.html
link for a complete listing of the
FAR and its new requirements – or
go to www.faa.gov and select the
FAA Registry - Aircraft - Aircraft
Inquiry link, either one will get you
to the information.)
The reason the FAA has
done this is fairly simple. Of the
357,000+ aircraft in our Registry’s
records about 1/3 are believed
to have inaccurate records and
we expect approximately 100,000
of them will not re-register. You
may be the owner of one of those
aircraft – did you remember to
cancel the registration on that
multi-colored ground cloth you’ve
been using since you got your new
balloon envelope?
Obviously, incorrect aircraft
registration presents the same
problems for government agencies
and all levels of law enforcement as
incorrect automobile registrations
and my employer has decided on
re-registration and renewal as the
method of corrective action.
Fortunately the FAA has done
its homework on this project and
has embraced an online process.
The re-registration of the entire US
14 Ballooning
air fleet is a huge undertaking, so
the process has been spread over a
three year period and is keyed off
the month in which your original
registration was issued. (See time-
table on opposite page)
Here’s what you can do to
make your re-registration as painless
as possible –
•Look at the registration cer-
tificate in your aircraft and note the
MONTH it was issued. (Does the
N-number match the one on the
balloon envelope?);
•Log on to www.faa.gov and
select the FAA Registry - Aircraft -
Aircraft Inquiry link;
•Enter your N number and
confirm the registration informa-
tion is correct; then
•Wait for the FAA notification
to re-register. Every registered own-
er will receive a Notice to Re-regis-
ter. This letter should arrive about
6 months before your registration
expires. This letter will identify your
expiration date and the 3-month
window in which you should com-
plete the process in order to receive
the new registration certificate
before the old one expires. The let-
ter will also contain a personalized
code and with it, you will be able to
re-register your aircraft and pay the
$5.00 fee online.
Two months before expiration
you’ll receive a second notice if re-
quired. However, at that point the
online option is closed, you’ll have
to complete the form and mail it in.
There is some really GOOD
NEWS here – currently, according
to some owners I know who were
in the first group to re-register, the
online process worked without fault
and they had their new Registration
Certificate within two weeks.
However, there can be VERY
BAD news –
•If YOU ARE NOT THE
REGISTERED OWNER, you
won’t get the Notice;
•You will not be able to re-
register on-line; and your aircraft’s
registration may be canceled!
Cancelling the N-number
ALSO CANCELS YOUR AIR-
WORTHINESS CERTIFICATE!
This means you then have to re-
serve a new N-number; register the
aircraft with the FAA; have the new
N-number sewn on the envelope,
make application for a new Airwor-
thiness Certificate and then pay a
Designated Airworthiness Repre-
sentative (DAR) to inspect your
aircraft and issue a new Airworthi-
ness Certificate (usually $500.00+).
Typically the person who does your
annual inspection is generally not
qualified to conduct this inspection.
If you find inaccuracies in your
aircraft ownership records you will
have to correct the ownership prob-
lem before you can re-register. If
this is the case, you will need to call
The Aircraft Registration Branch
(AFS-750) @ 866-762-9434 and
discuss what is needed to correct
the ownership discrepancy.
If you discover inaccuracies DO
NOT delay correcting this problem!
I have seen several of these discrep-
ancies take a year, or more, to cor-
rect – especially if someone that was
a previous owner has died.
www.bfa.net
 Use this timetable to know when your current registration will expire and when you should complete the re-registration process.

If you sold your balloon to earlier note about the other un- J.D. Huss started flying balloons
someone, go to the website with pleasant consequences !) in 1989 obtaining his Commercial
your previous balloon’s N-number This process is very simple to Privileges in Hot Air Balloons in
and confirm that you are no longer comply with. However, if you have 1993. He received his Gas Balloon
shown as the registered owner! If problems, contact the Aircraft Reg- training with the Stuttgart Balloon
you are still shown as the registered istration Branch http://registry.faa. Club in 2001.
owner, you are the person the FAA gov or 1-866-762-9434. You may He currently servers as the FAA
and the Civil Claims Courts are go- have to wait, but they will reply to Safety Team (FAASTeam) Program
ing to want to talk to – when there your questions. Manager at the Albuquerque, New
is an incident/accident or lawsuit. Remember, if your registration Mexico Flight Standards District
Again you should take immediate expires and a re-registration certifi- Office. He can be contacted at
steps to correct this - therein part of cate has not been issued, received 1-800-531-1124 ext. 221 or by email:
the reason for this change. and placed in the aircraft, then the jd.huss@faa.gov.)
Another potential problem; aircraft is no longer legal to operate!
is your address on file with the
FAA correct? If it is not, again you
may not get the reminder letter. If
necessary, now is the time to update
your address - and it’s required by
the FARs anyway, remember?
Please comply with the pub-
lished re-registration schedule.
Attempting to ‘jump the gun’ and
re-register early will only clog the
system. If you buy or sell your bal-
loon, then you will complete the
registration process at that time.
If, for some reason, you do
not re-register your aircraft within
the required time frame, the FAA
will send you a notice of N-number
Pending Cancellation. You will
have 60 days, or less, to reserve the
N-number and request the re-reg-
istration of the aircraft. Failure to
accomplish this in the time required New Aircraft Registration Certificates issued
after 10/01/10 will include a new expiration
will result in the N-number being
date. Registrations now expire three years after
cancelled and designated as unavail- the last day of the month of issue.
able for the next 5 years. (See my

January / February 2011 Ballooning 15

 FareSkies
$ by glen moyer and ron broderick
A Taxing $ituation
I
t’s no secret that in these eco-
nomic times everyone is trying
to find an extra buck here and
there. This seems to be especially
true of governments whether lo-
cal, state or federal. Ron Broderick
has seen this first hand. His Mary-
land based balloon ride company,
Friendship Hot Air Balloon Com-
pany, recently won a tax battle with
his state comptroller’s office but the
battle lasted 27 months!
Broderick’s company was
audited in April 2008 by the State
Comptroller who promptly sued for
$9,000 in alleged taxes owed. The
state claimed that Broderick should
have been collecting a 7.5 - 10%
percent admission and amusement
tax per passenger in his ride busi-
ness. The state
...there is no claimed that bal-
loon rides were
legal precedent to “amusement”
confirm that such rides. Broderick
taxes on balloon disagreed and
appealed his as-
rides are illegal. sessment, saying
hot air balloons
are not amusement rides but aircraft
regulated by the Federal Aviation
Administration, and thus exempt
from state amusement taxes.
Broderick was forced to use
the services of a Tax Attorney and
an Aviation Attorney for his ap-
peals. Broderick lost the first round
of informal hearings and so filed
in the Maryland Tax Court. The
trial was set for last September 1st
but after pre-trail memoranda were
filed, the State withdrew. Broderick
will get a refund of the $9,000 he
paid in taxes plus interest. However,
because the case did not go to trial
he will not receive reimbursement of
16 Ballooning
legal fees, a standard had he won in
court. Broderick and his attorneys
were correct in their arguments that
federal law and a Supreme Court
Ruling prohibit any state or lo-
cal jurisdiction to levy or collect a
tax, fee, head charge, or any other
charge on an individual traveling in
air commerce. Christine Feldmann,
spokeswoman for the comptroller’s
office, said. “We recognized that he
did not owe the tax that he was as-
sessed for. Federal law that says you
can’t put a gross receipts tax on hot
air balloons.”
Broderick tells BALLOONING
many other balloonists may be in
danger of finding themselves in the
same legal battle:
“There are three categories of
balloonists for purposes of tax issues:
1.Those that have been paying
this illegal tax and need to talk to us
to learn how to end it,
2.Those that will soon be told
by their local Comptroller to pay –
most states right now do not seek
a gross receipts tax – trust me they
will be coming for many of you,
3.Those that fly in a state that
is in compliance with federal law.
In these states a compliance auditor
may still ask you to pay and run you
through the wringer before you can
correct the matter.”
To aid balloonists in the tax
fight, Broderick has established a
website where details of their win-
ning strategies are available at no
charge. Broderick says there will also
be a ‘Member’s Only’ section that
will require payment of a minimal
fee and where there will be an ex-
tensive state by state database listing
each state that is in compliance with
federal law and those not in compli-
ance. Each member may sign up to
provide input/questions/support
for other pilots as to their status, re-
ceive a monthly email of significant
updates in each state, etc.
The fact that Broderick’s case
did not go to court means there is
no legal precedent to confirm that
such taxes on balloon rides are il-
legal. Thus Broderick is correct in
saying that the same fate could befall
any other ride operator at any time.
Indeed, a quick GOOGLE
search by BALLOONING found
another case, 25 years ago, against an
Iowa balloonist. In that case the bal-
loon operator also argued they were
exempt. “Protestor argues that the
balloon rides constitute flying ser-
vices under the enumerated taxable
services (of section 422.43, Code)
but are exempt thereunder from
sales taxation as “aerial commercial
or charter transportation services.”
The balloons which Protestor uses
are FAA type- certified for the spe-
cific purpose of transporting people
through the air. In order to carry
passengers for hire in a balloon, the
Protestor is required by the Federal
Aviation Administration to have a
commercial balloon pilot license.
This licensing requires extensive
training and passing a written and
in-flight examination administered
by the FAA.”
In this case the state of Iowa
agreed the fee paid for the balloon
rides constitutes the rental or hir-
ing of the balloon for a temporary
period of time in order to be carried
or transferred through the air from
one place to another. Therefore, the
balloon rides constitute “charter
transportation flying services.”
With respect to taxation of com-
www.bfa.net
mercial amusement enterprises, Iowa’s tax com-
mittee noted that the balloon rides may indeed
provide amusement to the participants, but that
fact did not outweigh their exemption from any
amusement tax.
In this case Iowa relied on its own state tax
codes to come to a correct decision but Broderick
points out that, “Most states do not have such a
specific code statement about gross receipts tax on
hot air balloons. This ruling letter brought Iowa
in compliance with the federal law. Other states
such as New Mexico, Kansas and Arizona have
ruling letters on file stating federal preemption
law and are in compliance with federal law. Every
state should have on file a ruling letter similar to
Arizona stating federal preemption.
Next week an aggressive field auditor in Iowa
could go after the next balloonist for an amuse-
ment tax (head tax) on gross receipts, the ordeal
similar to mine will begin if the auditor and that
balloonist do not know of this ruling.”
For more on this story you can contact Brod-
erick via email: flights@BallooningUSA.com or
check the website www.BallooningUSA.com/
tax matter.

Editor’s Note: a gr oup of Texas pilots

is cur rently seeking redress fr om their
State Comptr oller

January / February 2011 Ballooning 17

 L
Photo by Brad Temeyer / Inset Photo by Cindy Petrehn
L
a Marseillaise. As the French
national anthem echoed
through the awards cer-
emony at 2008 World Hot Air
Balloon Championship in Hofkirch-
en, Austria, those in attendance
witnessed an unusual sight: Team
USA, winner of 12 out of 18 World
Championships, had failed to put
a single member on the podium of
the sport’s most prestigious event.
After finishing 1-2-4 at the 2006
Championship, the 2008 experi-
ence of a France-Russia-France flag
raising was one that the American
contingent would not soon forget.

Fast forward two years. The US

performance in Austria resulted in
6 spots being available for the 2010
event. Those six pilots included five
that were part of the 2008 World
Championship team. The motiva-
tion to return to glory in 2010

The
0
was not an issue. Nick Donner of
Illinois, hot off his second consecu-
tive US National Championship,

1
was looking for his first global
title. 2006 World Champion John

0
Petrehn (Kansas) wanted to reclaim
the Kinsinger Traveling Trophy

2 orld hip
after watching it leave for France
two years earlier. Texan Joe Heart-
sill, himself a World Champion in
1995, and fellow Longhorn Steve

W ons
Jones each had hopes of returning
to the Lone Star State victorious.
Owen Keown of California has

i stun spent years proving he can win titles

p
f p e both at home and abroad. And Paul
jef Petrehn (Michigan) was looking to

m
by add a familial-flair to the Trophy’s

a
storied plaques. Representing the

h
very best America had to offer, the

C
group of six could lay claim to 11
of the past 13 US National Cham-
pionships.
Often World Championship
events are held in locations rich
in ballooning history or those
18 Ballooning www.bfa.net
with a long track record of host-
ing international events. Both the
2006 (Japan) and 2008 (Austria)
events fit that mold. However for
2010 the Federation Aeronautique
Internationale, ballooning’s global
governing body, opted to award
the 19th iteration of hot air’s most
revered event to a first-time host
nation. Based on their efforts with
the 2005 European Champion-
ship, Hungary’s second-largest city,
Debrecen, was selected to greet the
world. With a population of about
210,000 people, the metropoli-
tan area boasts a 32,000 student
university but transitions quickly
to large expanses of flat farmland.
The leisurely 2.5 hours drive from
the historic capital city of Budapest
to Debrecen put one less than 20
miles from the Romanian border.
Now a member of the European
Union, you never had to look far
for visual reminders that the coun-
try is just 20 years removed from its
communist history.
As with all major champion-
ships, a primary challenge for
competitors was the logistics and
cost of overseas travel. Even with
the generous support of Curves
International, Cameron Balloons
US, Lindstrand Balloons USA, each
pilot was still responsible for nearly
five figures in overall expenses.
Fortunately in 2010 there was
one associated expense pilots did
not have to incur. Thanks to the
efforts of the champion Michigan
balloonist and Ford employee
Larry Coan, Ford Motor Company
provided the BFA contingent with
no less than twelve vehicles dur-
ing their stay. Included were a half
dozen full sized Transit vans (cur-
rently available only in Europe) to
serve as retrieve vehicles. Ford even
included a complete Team USA
graphics package on each! A variety
of showroom-fresh minivans and
cars were provided as lead-vehicles.
This gesture of extreme generosity
negated the need for any rentals
during the competition.
The commencement of a World
Championship event, even one
in Central Europe, means that a
large contingent of Americans will
be involved. The USA’s six pilots
January / February 2011
each hand-selected a crew of 4-6
to assist with their efforts, with
many of those support members
being nationally-acclaimed com-
petitors themselves. And if that
wasn’t enough, how about having
a two-time World Champion as a
team manager, and the weather
officer for the US Nationals provid-
ing up-to-the-minute observations
and predictions during the flight?
Thanks in large part to the sale of
fundraiser t-shirts, Al Nels and Brad
Teymeyer were on hand to assist
the entire team throughout the
Touring Debrecen, Hungary turned up sights and sound of
event.
both the Old world (church above) and the New (McDonalds
Dozens of staff are required below.) Photo by Chase Donner/www.balloonpong.com
to put on a World Championship,
and American involvement in this
area certainly was not lacking.
After serving as Event Director
at Austria’s 2006 Championship,
David Levin assumed the role of
Assistant Director in 2010. He
would be the right-hand-man of
Event Director Mathijs de Bruijn of
the Netherlands. Also assisting de
Bruijn would be Steward Sam Parks
and Chief Scoring Officer Mike
Gilligan. After years of development
and use at all recent US National
and Regional events, Gilligan’s
scoring software would be used to sightseeing, with most taking in
measure all aspects of performance the scenery and culture of 2,000
at the Championship. And finally, year-old Budapest. Often referred
the award-winning duo of Dottie to as “the Paris of the East”, mas-
and Bob Humbert further solidi- sive basilicas and open marketplaces
fied their credentials as international offered endless opportunities to
experts in the field of GPS loggers experience true Hungarian culture.
by heading up all aspects of those Of course food and beverage are a
devices’ use at the event. big part of the European ambiance,
Much of the US contingent with dishes including goulash soup
arrived in Hungary nearly a week and chicken paprikás (paprika chick-
in advance of the first competitive en) found in abundance. However,
flight. This allowed ample time to in the midst of two weeks overseas
ensure the delivery of equipment, sometimes all you want is a meal
acclimate to the 6-9 hour time that reminds you of home. With the
difference and learn the essentials Albuquerque International Bal-
of the local area. Figuring out the loon Fiesta taking place back home,
“lay-of-the-land” is much easier on “Iguana - La Cantina de Budapest”
a leisurely Tuesday afternoon than filled the void by providing the best
during a Monday morning 5-task TexMex cuisine Hungary has to
flight. Each team also had to outfit offer.
their stock Ford vehicles with the Unlike Austria’s rolling hills,
necessary equipment. Laptops, the flying terrain of eastern Hun-
navigation systems, antennas, and gary doesn’t require much in the
radios quickly transformed cargo way of special local knowledge. In
vans into custom retrieve vessels. fact, many compared it to the vast
Of course many also used farmland expanses that surround
an early arrival to facilitate some Rantoul (IL), sight of the 1998 and
Ballooning 19

Torrential rainfall left many landing sites (above) and roads
(below) questionable at best. These conditions led the Event
Director to use a common launch area (bottom).
Photos by Chase Donner/www.balloonpong.com
1999 US National Championships.
Nonetheless each US competitor
chose to make at least one practice
flight prior to the Championship.
Of greater concern was the fact
that the area had received a large
amount of rain during the previ-
ous weeks. There were reports of
flooded fields and wide-spread road
closures. At an event where ground
crews aspire to provide surface
observations well in advance of the
pilot’s arrival at a target, simply
20 Ballooning
getting within a mile of the targets
would become a regular challenge.
After days of preparation and
practice flights, the Monday morn-
ing start of the event couldn’t come
soon enough. The competition
opened with a four-task flight con-
sisting of a Hesitation Waltz (aka
Multiple Judge Declared Goal), a
Land Run Task, another Hesitation
Waltz, and a Judge Declared goal.
Given the amount of rain that had
recently fallen as well as the large
number of balloons, the Event
Director opted to have all teams use
a common launch site (a practice
that would continue throughout
the event).
The morning dispelled any
doubt in the value of having a lead
vehicle, as 100+ recovery crews
then attempted to traverse rush-
hour traffic in the county’s second
largest city. Those competitors that
could position resources at the
target areas in advance reaped the
rewards of having surface winds
and other data available to them in
advance.
Nick Donner started right
where he left off in Battle Creek by
scoring 2nd place results on each
of the first two tasks and launching
himself to the top of the standings.
John Petrehn was steady early in the
flight, then bested the entire field of
118 on the final task to settle into
2nd place overall. Joe Heartsill’s
effort made it three Americans at
the top of the leader board after the
first morning.
After refueling and a quick
lunch, teams returned to the com-
petition center for the Monday eve-
ning festivities. The menu consisted
of two tasks: Pilot Declared Goal
and 3D Shape Task. The Event
Director indicated that the shape
would be a cylinder that extended
from the surface to 9000’ MSL,
and that each competitor could
place that shape anywhere on the
map that she or he pleased.
The idea was to accumulate a
maximum amount of horizontal
distance inside the cylinder. The
afternoon winds allowed nearly
360 degrees of steering and while
no one was able to complete an
entire “loop” around their respec-
tive cylinder, several competitors
used nearly three-quarters of the
available shape, zigging and zag-
ging their way to incredible scores.
When the dust settled Nick Don-
ner, John Petrehn, and Joe Heartsill
retained their top-3 positions, an
especially impressive feat consider-
ing that several pilots rose or fell
30+ spots in the standings.
As Brad Teymeyer predicted,
the favorable weather that we’d
seen the last couple days fell apart
on Tuesday, the second day of the
championship. Steady rains started
to fall at about 4:00am and con-
tinued throughout the day, result-
ing in the cancellation of both the
morning and evening flights. In ad-
dition to missing valuable task op-
portunities, the additional precipita-
tion also served to further soak the
already saturated fields surrounding
Debrecen.
Teams returned from the previ-
ous day’s flights verifying reports
of roads that were mud-covered,
impassible, or that simply did not
exist any more. For recovery crews
maps were all but useless - no mat-
ter how prominent it showed on
paper or a navigation system, one
couldn’t assume that any road was
drivable. Every turn was an exercise
in guess-and-test.
Thanks to efforts of Nels and
Teymeyer, Tuesday night pro-
vided the unique opportunity for
all the Americans involved with
event to gather for a casual dinner.
A brewery in downtown Debre-
cen provided the ideal setting for
approximately 40 officials and
competitors alike to share both a
meal and stories. Of course a little
ballooning was discussed, but many
conversations centered around trav-
els, sightseeing, or other non-com-
petitive topics. Most recent World
Championships have afforded such
a gathering, and most consider it a
highlight of the trip regardless of
how the scores tally at the end of
the week.
While a day off was enjoyed,
Wednesday’s early morning alarm
was welcome by all. Stable weather
was moving in and everyone knew
there was lots more flying to be
done. With five tasks in hand teams
www.bfa.net
once again headed to a common
launch spot south of town. While
all reports showed relatively slow
winds at altitude, a surface breeze
started to kick up shortly after the
field arrived. After an hour on hold
all hope was lost as the black flag
was raised.
The remainder of the between-
flight hours on Wednesday saw
stability build into the area. The
afternoon flight was a sure bet. And
with just 6 tasks recorded thus far
everyone knew that we weren’t
yet a third of the way through the
event - everything was still possible.
The Event Director called a
flight nearly identical to the one
on Monday night, a Pilot Declared
Goal followed by a 3D Shape Task.
At this event Pilot Declared Goals
were being handled different than
they usually are in the US. Instead
of having a large list of possibilities
to select from, pilots were given a
limited selection of 3-5. One was
required to declared his choice from
that list prior to the raising of the
green flag.
Scoring for such tasks was done
with markers, as the limited number
of possible goals allowed for the use
of measuring teams. Obviously Nick
Donner was comfortable with the
arrangement, as his 1.12m result
topped the field. Steve Jones, John
Petrehn, Joe Heartsill, and Owen
Keown also had top-20 results. The
American team did equally well on
the 3D task, with John Petrehn,
Donner, Jones, Heartsill, and Paul
Petrehn all in the top-12. In terms
of the overall standings, Steve Jones
moved up 26 spots on this flight
alone! However the story of the
day was Team USA’s continued
dominance at the top of the stand-
ings, as the triumvirate of Nick
Donner, John Petrehn, and Joe
Heartsill opened up a 400+ point
lead on the rest of the field.
There was little doubt that
Thursday morning would be fly-
able. So imagine the surprise when
sunrise revealed 400’ ceilings. The
cooler overnight temperatures al-
lowed a layer of moisture to gather,
gobbling up pibals within 60 sec-
onds of their release.
An extended weather hold was
January / February 2011
utilized, but in the end another
early breakfast was all the excite-
ment to be had. Throughout the
day teams anxiously awaited the
arrival of blue skies, an expecta-
tion that wasn’t realized until the
afternoon briefing had commenced.
That uncertainty lead the Event
Director to call an unusual pair of
tasks for a World Championship
event: Two Hare and Hounds tasks.
A single balloon left the field car-
rying two targets. He would land
long enough to display one, then
take off again to set the second.
Pilots would score on both.
The tasks proved to the Ameri-
cans’ liking, as Nick Donner, John
Petrehn, and Joe Heartsill each
obtained scores of 900+ points on
both. The distance between the
third place Heartsill and the fourth-
place pilot from France was now
over 920 points. As the first balloon
in pursuit of the hare, Paul Petrehn
also had a very solid flight, jumping
13 spots to just outside the top 20.
One thing you don’t expect at
any long event is for the afternoons
to provide more flying opportuni-
ties than the mornings. But that
exactly what had happened in
The Ford Motor Company stepped in with a sizeable and valu-
Hungary to this point. 10 tasks had able sponsorship for Team USA. Check out the graphics package
been flown, with 6 of them in the too! Some teams were not so lucky. (Was Elvis in the building?)
evening. Everyone (except perhaps Top photo by Chase Donner, others by Jeff Pestun, both www.
balloonpong.com
Brad Teymeyer) was sure that trend
would reverse on Friday morning.
And once again they were wrong. would start the festivities, followed
There wasn’t even a weather hold, by two Hesitation Waltz tasks. The
as strong winds greeted even the shape task was the wedding cake
earliest risers. The flight was can- variety, with 3 discs of diminishing
celled prior to 6:00am. diameter stacked one on top of the
Having already seen a two-part other. It was an evening that would
Hare and Hounds, competitors see Joe Heartsill surrender his
knew that anything was possible on event-long hold on third place, as
Thursday evening. No one was sur- several European pilots put togeth-
prised then to see a three-task flight er impressive runs that saw them
called for Friday afternoon. The rise nearly 20 spots in standings.
third 3D Shape Task of the event After 13 tasks Nick Donner and
Ballooning 21
 John Petrehn were still on top, just
330 points separating them. How-
ever a formidable trio of German
Uwe Schneider (3-time European
Champion), Great Britain’s David
Bareford (two-time World Champi-
on) and French competitor Francois
Messines (defending World Cham-
pion) had assembled themselves
in the 6-8 positions. A battle was
shaping up for the event’s final
flight.
At most events, including
the US National Championship,
the event’s final flight takes place
(Above) Competing at Worlds in Hungary was a lot like rac-
immediately prior to the awards
ing at Daytona - everyone was in a big pack. Rubbin’ is racin’! ceremony. This means that the
Photo by Brad Temeyer Event Director must be conserva-
(Below) When word of TEAM USA’s success was heard on the tive in selecting tasks, as all scoring
launchfield at Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, everyone sent
congratulations. Photo by Cindy Petrehn
needs to be finalized within hours
of the flight’s conclusion. However,
for World Championship events a
full day is scheduled between the
final marker drops and the award-
ing of the trophy. This allows for a
heaping plate of high-quality tasks
to close the competition, an op-
portunity that would not be missed
in Hungary.
Six markers and six tasks were
presented on Saturday morning.
The offering consisted of a logger-
scored Land Run, a Minimum
The U.S. returns to glory and dominance on the world stage. (l-r) Nick Donner, 2nd, Johnny Petrehn, World
Champion, and Swiss pilot Stefan Zeberli, 3rd. Photo by Chase Donner/www.balloonpong.com
22 Ballooning
Distance Double Drop, a Judge
Declared Goal, and three Hesita-
tion Waltz tasks. Over 30% of the
event’s total points would be avail-
able for the taking.
Anyone that aspired to finish at
the top would need a strong show-
ing, as once again several inter-
national pilots would jump 20 or
more spots in the standings. That’s
an incredible feat for the final flight
of a 19-task championship!
Nick Donner and John Petrehn
spent the first two tasks of the flight
exchanging best results before Pe-
trehn amassed an impressive 3584
points on the final four to launch
himself to the top spot and claim
his second World Championship!
His multiple titles are equaled only
by America’s Paul Woessner (‘77,
‘79) and Al Nels (‘87, ‘91) as well
as Great Britain’s David Bareford
(‘97, ‘02). Donner, who lead the
event from the start, finished in
second. Young Swiss pilot Stefan
Zeberli completed the podium.
Team USA’s showing was
rounded out by Joe Heartstill in
12th, Paul Petrehn in 19th, Steve
Jones in 48th, and Owen Keown in
78th.
Thanks in large part to top-20
finishes by four American pilots,
current estimates by the BFA’s Hot
Air Competition Division have a
US contingent of eight competitors
for the 2012 World Championship
in Battle Creek, Michigan. Those
numbers, combined with the mo-
mentum from 2010 AND the fact
that Americans have won all three
previous Championships held on
home turf, mean even bigger things
could be ahead in 2 years.
After return trips to Japan and
Austria, this year’s World Hot Air
Balloon Championship provided
the opportunity for many experi-
enced international balloonists to
visit Hungary for the first time. And
while a return trip to Debrecen is
not likely in the near future, 2010
will be remembered as the year the
US reclaimed its spot at the top of
the competitive ballooning world.
www.bfa.net
 Balloons from the Heart of Europe
READY FOR PASSENGER BUSINESS?
Lou Bartell has recently purchased a Kubicek
180 and is operating with great success in the
very beautiful but hostile environment located
in Moab, UT. Lou was initially concerned that
a standard fabric balloon would not survive
in the harsh terrain of Southeast Utah.
His concerns have been laid to rest as the
polyester fabric built and used by Kubicek
has not only prevailed in the rocky terrain,
it continues to carry 8 passengers in an area
with a base altitude of over 4,500 feet and
temperatures in the 80’s.

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h Amer ica!
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bric from our own m
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US Sales Manager ified produc ts! ric
over 1000 hours!
Mike Bauwens, US Pilot: Irene Flaggl
A
Phone: (435) 649-
2517

For dealers
January / February 2011 in your area, visit: Ballooning 23
 Two Hundred Hot Air Balloon Ride Pilots
Accept our Tickets, Maybe You Should, Too!
Here Are Three Good Reasons!
1.
J O I N N O W F O R T H E 2 011 S E A S O N
Add to your income by flying the rides sold by Soaring Adventures and your fellow Network Members
D AY AD You will benefit from the national advertising we do in over 100 publications every year.
USA TO For example, the ¼ page ad on the left appears in USA Today as it has for over 25 years.
lloon
anta stic Hot Air Ba er Ride Other ads appear in Parade Magazine, with a readership of over 100 million, The Wall Street
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oaring Gli
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“THE B
EST PR
ESEN
News, Seattle Times and the LA Times. We have generated lots of New Interest in Ballooning
mas Gift!
ate Christ from the American Public with these ads, from people who never would have thought of
The Ultim , friends,
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S UR PR ISE
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�

sto m er s
cu they will
e present
with a uniqu thank you for
talk about
and to call us. With each ticket we send a list of all the members of our network. The customer
ndsome
again: A ha
again and
Ad
ght
ventures Fli citing
then contacts the pilot in his area (you, if you are on the list) R ACK C
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at 1-800- SO r your Flight Certifica
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some customers, at no charge.

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e: ww w , co
Certificates operate with each oth . These pilots, our frie of 200
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producers. If you ask to be on our “Tether List” we will pass your wi

This is Amerith the best!
up at our ca’s favorite
0 rides to pe d ev
ople just like ery
you.
gift! Te
name on to the callers, no charge to you. When a call comes in we just check our list and, if
Ce
Gibson, an rtified Sport Flying ns of thousands of pe
ch Ce op
ters. Did yo or of the ABC evening nters every year. Ch le go
u
umentary Fir see our Chief Pilot so news, flew at one of ou arles
the customer is in your area, we give them your phone number.

3.
ari
the world-fa st Flight with Astrona ng his glider on the r cen-
mous pilot ut Neil Arms TV doc-
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as Crown Aff o flew the glider for ng? To top it off,
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now and ord Certificate is easy for r passengers, too! nan in

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your spirits
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for years or tak
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an
remembered rtificate(s) to you tod swer all your questio ll us
ay . Gi
e an exciting ve a gift that will d
ca
ns an
ride yourself be
! We’ll take

We will supply you with advertising rack cards, on right, in any quantity at no charge. Our ADDR
YOUR
ESS A
COMP
ANY N
AME

contact information is not on the card. You simply print or stamp your Company Information
ND PH
ONE N
UMBE
R

in the area provided and distribute the cards to your customers after you have given a ride, when
they are most enthusiastic. About one in thirty will call you back within a month or two and purchase a Soaring Adventures
ticket from you as a gift for a relative or friend in another city. You make $80. for a ride for Two. At Holidays you will sell lots of
additional National Tickets, if you wish. Most of our tickets are purchased in one city for someone in another city.

Interested? Email me or call me now and ask for a Pilot Information Pack.
I’ll send you all the details: a sample Flight Ticket, the poster that goes with it, a Rack Card, a sample newspaper ad, the financial
information and forms and a list of the 200 pilots with their phone numbers in case you want to talk to them about us, confidentially.
There is no charge to join the network, you can join for as little as three months to try us out. We will send you a start-up cash advance,
if you wish. Email me or call me now and I’ll send you a Pilot Information Pack. Welcome Aboard!

Join Now for the 2011 Season!

Roberta Collins, National Network Coordinator • Call Me at 1-800-762-7464
PO BOX 541 • 112 OLD RIDGEFIELD ROAD • WILTON, CT 06897 • WWW.800SOARING.COM • Roberta@800soaring.com
24 Ballooning www.bfa.net
 The Soaring Adventures of America, Inc.
National Sport Flying Network
Over 200 Great Companies—Join Today!
J O I N N O W F O R T H E 2 011 S E A S O N
Members of the Soaring Adventures of America, Inc. Sport Flying Network
Alabama: Ace High Ballooning  Arizona: Over the Rainbow Balloon Flights, The Hot Air Balloon Company Inc., Hot Air Expeditions
Inc., Adventures Out West, Unicorn Balloon Company, Aerogelic Ballooning, A Great American Balloonport, High But Dry Balloons,
Arizona Balloon Works Inc., Pleasant Valley Soaring, Arizona Soaring Inc., Sky King Soaring  California: Up-Away.com, Ad Astra
Balloon Productions, Hot Air Balloon Rides, Aquatude Hot Air Balloons, A Balloon Adventure by California Dreamin’, A Grape Escape
Balloon Adventure, Global Balloon Adventures, Sunrise Balloons, Adventure Flights, Balloons Above, Fantasy Balloon Flights, Southern
California Balloon Tours, Prof. Muldoon’s Hot Air Balloons & Flying Machines, Sunballoon Rides, Magical Adventures, Pacific Balloon
Charters Inc., Panarama Balloon Tours, Sky’s the Limit Ballooning Adventures, Skydive Santa Barbara LLC, Skydive Taft, Skydive
Sacramento, Adventure Center Skydiving Inc.  Colorado: Adventure Balloon Sports, A Sunny Day Come Fly Away, A Balloon Adventure,
Magic Sunrise Ballooning, Longmont Hot Air Balloon Co., Scenic Balloon Rides, A Balloon Safari, Ad and Fantasy Balloons, Adventures
Out West, Rocky Mountain Hot Air Lines, High But Dry Balloons, Colorado Sky Sports  Connecticut: Aer Blarney Balloons LLC, Sky
Endeavors Inc.  Florida: Tropical Breezes Ballooning Adventures, Tracer Hot Air Balloons, Rohr Balloons, Aeronauts & Balloons, Orlando
Balloon Rides, Aerostat Adventures, Bob’s Balloon Charters LLC, Orlando Balloon Adventures, Nelair Inc., Balloon Safaris, American
Balloons, Balloons & Beyond, Hot Air Ad-Ventures Inc., Above Tampa LLC, Celebration Aviation Inc., Crystal Magic Balloon Company,
Tranquility Balloon Rides Inc., Balloons Over Florida, Miami Balloon Rides, Clermont Ballon Rides, Breathless Balloon Adventures,
Seminole Flying and Soaring Inc., Unusual Attitudes Inc., Skydive City  Georgia: Droppin-in Ballooning, Air Balloon Rides, The Jumping
Place  Hawaii: Original Glider Rides  Idaho: Star Skydiving Center, Skydown Sport Skydiving  Illinois: AirBus Balloon Rides, Aerial
Promotions of Sycamore, Windy City Balloonport, Sky Soaring Incorporated, Parachutes Over Carmi Inc.  Indiana: Hot Air Corps Inc.,
Bee Above, Big Red Balloons LLC, AirBus Balloon Rides, Great Flight Balloons, Park Forest South Aviation Group, Air Indiana Skydiving
Center LLC, Skydive Wayne County  Iowa: PAH Inc., Air Addiction Balloon Company  Kansas: BalloonSport USA, Skyway Balloons
Inc., KCBalloonAdventures.com  Kentucky: ehotair.com, Crawford Hot Air Balloons, Inc., SkyCab Balloon Promotions Inc., Blue Skies,
Great Flight Balloons  Louisiana: American Escapes Hot Air Balloons, Bayou Balloon Adventures  Maine: Damn Yankee Balloons,
Scenic Glider Rides Over Bar Harbor, Spirit Soaring  Massachusetts: Damn Yankee Balloons, Martha’s Vineyard Glider Rides, Pepperell
Skydiving Center Inc.  Michigan: Balloon Quest Inc., Big Sky Hot Air Balloons, Bad Axe Balloon Adventures LLC, Sky Adventures,
Benz Aviation  Minnesota: Balloon Ascensions Unlimited  Missouri: BalloonSport USA, Hardtimes Ballooning, Balloon Stormers Inc.,
Balloon the Ozarks, Balloonacy, Air Balloon Sports, Barron Aviation and Skydiving, Falcon Exhibition Skydiving Team  Nevada:
Sunballoon Rides, D&R Balloons, Desert View Balloon Company, Las Vegas Glider Rides, SkydiveLasVegas.com  New Hampshire:
Infinity & Beyond LLC, High 5 Ballooning, A&A Balloon Rides Ltd.  New Jersey: American Balloon International, Alexandria Balloon
Flights, Dancing on Air, Soaring Flight, Yards Creek Soaring, Freefall Adventures Inc., Skydive Sussex  New Mexico: Private Balloon
Flights, Eske’s AirVentures & Paradise Balloons Inc., X-Treme-Lee Fun Balloon Adventures, Sundance Aviation Inc.  New York: Enchanted
Balloon Tours, Catskill Mountain Balloon Inc., Airborne Adventures Ballooning Inc., LTA Aviation Inc., Flying Colors Ballooning, Tethering
Heights, Adirondack Soaring, Iroquois Soaring Association, Wurtsboro Flight Management, Sky Sailors Inc.  North Carolina: Balloons
Over Charlotte, Tropical Ballooning Adventures, Asheville Hot Air Balloons, Piedmont Soaring Society Inc., Raeford Parachute Center
 Ohio: Heaven Bound Ascensions, Balloon Masters Inc., Gentle Breeze Hot Air Balloon Co. LLC, Cleveland Soaring Society Inc.,
E Cincinnati Aviation-Sporty’s Academy, Stewart’s Air Service  Oklahoma: Skyway Balloons Inc., Horizon Ballooning, Free Spirit
Balloons LLC  Oregon: Portland Rose Hot Air Balloons, Pacific Peaks Balloon Company, HIS SKY Balloons, Cascade Soaring
 Pennsylvania: Windjammer Balloon Flights, On Your Way Up Ballooning, High On You Balloon Team, Blue Dragon Balloons, Tim
Meteney Balloons, Vintage Aero Sports LLC, Knauff and Grove Inc.  South Carolina: Carolina Soaring Association, Bermuda High
Soaring School Inc., Skydive Carolina!  Tennessee: Aeromax Balloon Promotions, Soar Like An Eagle Hot Air Balloon Service, Ace
High Ballooning, Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures, Chilhowee Soaring Association  Texas: Wayne’s Air Toys, Airventure Balloonport
Inc., Gentle Winds Ballooning, Dream Catcher Balloons, Aero Systems Aviation, Soaring Society of San Antonio, Greater Houston Soaring
Association, Skydive Cowtown, Texas FreeFall, Skydive Houston  Utah: Acme Publishing Balloon Team, Morningstar Balloons, Wasatch
Ballooning Inc., Airborne Ballooning, Soar Utah  Vermont: Stowe Soaring  Virginia: Blue Ridge Hot Air Balloons, Valley Ballooning,
Balloons Unlimited Inc., Balloon Virginia Inc.  Washington: Over the Rainbow Balloon Flights, Spokane Soaring Society  Wisconsin:
SunBird Balloonport, Gentle Breezes LLC, Token Creek Balloonport, Janesville Hot Air Balloon Company, Sylvania Soaring Adventures Inc.

Welcome  Handshakes  Laughter  Fun  Excitement  Thanks

A T THE HEART OF SOARING ADVENTURES OF AMERICA,

INC. are the Companies and Clubs in our National Sport
Flying Network. We appreciate the enthusiasm of the pilots
who give rides to the people who buy our tickets. The welcome you
give our customers, your eagerness to share the fun you have going
up into the air, the handshakes, the laughter, the reassurance, the
skill, the excitement. And the joy of the sky you give to everyone.
Most of these Companies and Clubs have been in our Network
for 15 years or more. A few have been with us since we were
founded by Rob Wilkinson, a glider pilot eager to share the fun
of sport flying, some 30 years ago.
Thanks to the hundreds of pilots who have given rides to our
customers, over 300,000 of them in the past 30 years. We appreciate
all you do for us!

January / February 2011 Ballooning 25


Triumph&
F
F
or the first time in its long
illustrious history the Gordon
Bennett Cup launched on
September 25th from the island
nation of Great Britain. 20 balloon
teams from 12 countries in pursuit
of one of ballooning’s grandest
prizes.
This 54th event launched from
Bristol, England thanks to David
Hempleman-Adams and Jon Mason
who won the Cup in 2008. The
pair launched from Albuquerque
and flew 1,098 miles to a landing
near the shore of Lake Michigan,
north of Chicago.
The weather systems at time
of launch had the teams travelling
southeast out of England, across
the English Channel and on into
Europe. By day two the Japanese
team of Saburo Ichiyoshi and Aklo
Hachinoche had taken the lead but
decided to land rather than fly over
the Pyrenees mountain range that
borders France and Spain.
The French team of Sebastian
Rolland and Vincent Leys assumed
the lead, crossing the Pyrenees.
A number of balloons were clus-
tered just off the French coast near
Bordeaux. Finland’s Olli Luoma
and Markku Sipinen landed nearby
touching down in a large corn field
just before midnight. By Monday
afternoon as many as half of the
teams had landed rather than risk
flying over the Tyrrhenian Sea be-
fore reaching Italy.
Still six teams carried on
despite Italy’s insistence that VFR
(i.e. LTA) flight is allowed in their
airspace only during daylight hours.
Team France 2, Rolland and Leys,
26 Ballooning
Tragedy
crossed the west coast of Italy and
landed after a flight of almost 56
hours. Five teams remained in the
air. The Swiss 2 team would land
two hours later but more than 700
km away near the boundary of the
competition map in Romania. Kurt
Frieden and Pascal Witpraechtiger
had set a blistering pace, achieving
an average speed of 56kph that was
faster than half the teams maxi-
mum speed. In just 58 and a half
hours they had traveled over 2,434
kilometers (1,513 miles) and were
eventually declared winners of the
54th Gordon Bennett. (For com-
plete results: www.gordonbennett.
com)
Of course at the time of their
landing the issue was still in doubt.
Among those still flying was the
UK team of David Hempleman-
Adams and Simon Carey, and
Americans Richard Abruzzo and
Carol Rymer-Davis. Two German
teams and the British had success-
fully crossed the Adriatic Sea flying
a similar track to that of the Swiss.
Abruzzo and Rymer-Davis
were over the Adriatic Sea, on a
track farther south than their re-
maining competitors, when tragedy
struck. Italian Air Traffic Control
notified the Race Control Center in
Bristol that it had lost radio con-
tact with the Americans. Weather
conditions in the area were poor
with thunderstorms and rough seas.
An immediate land and sea search
was launched and all shipping in the
area was put on alert.
The search continued for sev-
eral days, but nothing was found.
On Saturday, October 1st - one
week after the launch - the Gordon
Bennett Control Center issued a
statement citing coded informa-
tion received from the transponder
aboard the Abruzzo-Rymer-Davis
balloon. This information showed
the balloon in a moderate descent
rate “which then increased into a
high rate of descent, to around 50
mph.” The statement concluded,
“It is the opinion of the Gordon
Bennett 2010 Flight Control Team
that the balloon appears to have
suffered a sudden and unexpected
failure.”
On December 6th news came
that a fishing trawler operating
some 12 miles off the coast of
Italy found a gruesome discovery
in its nets. Pulled from the ocean
depths were remains of the miss-
ing balloon, it’s basket and inside,
the bodies of both Abruzzo and
Rymer-Davis. The discovery ended
all hope for the pair but brought
closure to their families and friends.
Memorial services had already been
held both in Albuquerque and
Denver.
On his website blog, Britain’s
David Hempleman-Adams wrote
that it could easily have been he and
co-pilot Carey, “We had the option
of taking the very same route as
Richard and Carol. They went a
slow drift down the Adriatic until
the morning with the possibility of
maybe landing in Greece. We chose
to go over land because we thought
we’d get more distance that way. I
also don’t like flying over water.”
An investigation into the acci-
dent is ongoing. It would serve no
purpose for us to speculate further.
While we congratulate the winning
Swiss team it falls to us here to
remember our friends. Both were
stalwart members of the BFA and
the international balloon communi-
ties. Volumes could, and someday
should, be written about both Rich-
ard and Carol. Sadly, space does not
allow that here.
Peter Cuneo is Chairman of the
BFA Gas Division. Bert Padelt built
Richard Abruzzo’s frst gas balloon.
In 2004 Ruth Lind, former editor
of BALLOONING purchased her
first gas balloon and entered the
America’s Challenge race. Carol
Rymer-Davis flew with her. What
follows are their memories of the
two fallen aeronauts...
www.bfa.net
 Smiles Left Behind
Reflections on the lives of Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer-Davis
Richard Abruzzo
by Peter Cuneo and Bert Padelt
A L
recent entry in my flight log
reads: “2 September, 2010,
Cameron C-80, Peak Express
N4117N, Launched from Fiesta
Field, Landed at ‘FBI field’, 1.1 hrs,
R Abruzzo, flight review.” After
we went to breakfast and spent the
required hour reviewing FARs etc.,
I entered a flight review signoff in
Richard’s log. I’m not sure, but I
think it may be the last entry in that
log. It was a Thursday morning and
I was playing hooky from work to
squeeze in a review for Richard to make
him legal for the upcoming Gordon
Bennett competition. We had a wonder-
ful flight in light winds and we talked about
several topics including his many preparations
for Bristol. He was excited and looked as healthy
as I had seen him since his 2005 G-B accident.
Nine months earlier, I had bet Richard that despite his
low standings in the selection list for the US G-B team, (due
to an aborted flight in the last qualifier when his balloon
developed a leak) he would still be selected for the 2010 US
team. He was now finally ready to admit that I had won the
bet. The timing and location of this year’s G-B was such that
many eligible US teams opted out and chose instead to fly the
US based America’s Challenge, rather than spend the money
and effort to go to England. This year, for most teams, it was
one or the other, but Richard had worked it out so he could
fly, with two different balloons, in both events.
At one point while we were still in the air, I asked if we
should contact the chase truck, but Richard saw no need
and had complete confidence that Bobby, his crew chief, had
things under control. As we came in for a landing, I thought
Richard was going to be to the right of his targeted landing
field but as he made a small height adjustment upward to put
him over the field, the wind completely died and he dropped
directly down on target. Two minutes later the chase truck
drove up as I was thinking, “Wow, is Richard really that good,
or did he make that happen because he has some special
power over the weather?”
As we packed up, a young woman who had noticed
the artwork on Richard’s envelope, walked up to us from
a nearby apartment building and told him how much she
January / February 2011
Dr. Carol Rymer-Davis
by Ruth Lind and Drew Davis
ast December a box arrived in
the mail from Denver. Recog-
nizing the handwriting and the
weight, I knew it was audio books
from Carol. We’ve been sharing them
back and forth for years, especially the
spicy ones. Inside this box of books
was a beautiful necklace, amber and
umber beads leading to the face of
a quirky cat that looked more than a
little like our Bubba. Among Carol’s
countless talents, she had begun mak-
ing glass jewelry not long ago, and had
fashioned this piece just for me. De-
lighted, I put it on for the first of many
wearings, all of which generated comments
on its craftsmanship and design.
This September, packing for Albuquerque,
I put the Bubba necklace in my suitcase, planning
to wear it to our annual ladies’ tea. We had talked about
that a few days before Carol left for Bristol, scheduling it for
late in the week, giving her plenty of time to return from the
Gordon Bennett. Instead, I wore it to the first of several im-
promptu wakes that honored one of the most amazing people
I’ve ever known.
When Ballooning Editor, Glen Moyer, asked me to write
about Dr. Carol Rymer Davis for this issue, I tried to pic-
ture a story listing her many accomplishments in aviation,
medicine, sports, and the military. It would of course include
information about her awesome husband of 42 years, John
Davis, their fine daughters, Heather Davis Benavidez and
Marne Davis Schmitz, and grandchildren Isaiah, Ryan, Mar-
garet, Hunter and Tanner. It would outline her service to the
BFA and the sport of ballooning, and close with an account
of this year’s Gordon Bennett from Hell.
Glen, however, wouldn’t be able to devote an entire maga-
zine to Carol, let alone the encyclopedic volume that would be
required to cover even the basics! So please forgive the personal
nature of this piece, but I can only write about my friend, the one
who made me laugh, who saved my life, who adopted a kitten
from my house, who shared happy and sarcastic and insightful
and determined and puzzled thoughts, and who most of all made
the world a far better place than she found it, even if that wasn’t
always the reason for doing what she did.
Ballooning 27
enjoyed skiing at Santa Fe and Sandia. She also happened At the end of this piece, you’ll find (a portion of) the
to mention in passing that since she was buying a eulogy written and presented by Carol’s brother-in-
house this year, she would not be able to man- law, Drew Davis. Drew kept a group of friends
age her usual season pass. As the conversa- and family informed of all the events and up-
tion ended and she started to head off to dates during the search for Carol and Rich-
work, Richard handed her a one day ski ard, and of the arrangements following
pass and said “Here, have a day on their loss. His words capture not only
me.” Not a big deal to Richard, but Carol’s resume and fortitude, but her
I am sure it meant the world to her. moxie. They cannot be improved.
As a new private, hot air pilot One of the many things I love
in the late 1980’s, I first ob- about Carol is her joyful inability
served Richard from a respect- to be put into any kind of box.
ful, and somewhat fearful, Superwoman? Maybe, but
distance. Later, as a newbie, please look at Drew’s com-
gas pilot, I observed the ments about her curry. Many
competitive side of Rich- people saw her as reserved,
ard’s personality in gas but those who really paid
races. Eventually, I worked attention knew that Carol
up the courage to talk to had a wicked sense of
him. I was not sure how humor, honed by stagger-
he would respond to an ing intelligence and rich
approach by one of the life experience. Loud she
“back-benchers” but he was not, but neither was
was extremely gracious she shy.
and open. I had not Many in the bal-
known Richard nearly looning community
as long as I would have knew of the gas flight
liked, or as long as Carol and I shared
many other Albuquer- which ended up with
que pilots, but that did our bailing out in a
not seem to matter to thunderstorm, into
him. a huge secure hog
A few weeks before farm. The balloon
the September flight, having vanished back
Richard called me up up into the cyclone,
to schedule one of our we made our slogging
occasional lunches and way through the mud
he mentioned that he back out to civilization.
had something for me. Learning that our land-
At lunch, he asked me if ing site had something
I happened to know who to do with sacred pigs,
was the twelfth balloon we were “invited” into
to launch in the 2004 the back of a pickup truck
Gordon Bennett from driven by the security chief
Thionville, France. When of said hog farm. Earl was
I said “no”, he handed me a big man, Carol a small
the number 12 basket ban- woman, and both of us more
ner from Thionville and said than a bit apprehensive. While
“You and Barbara were num- I struggled to find something
ber twelve”. He had been sort- to say, Carol had the answer.
ing through his gas equipment “Oh, no, we couldn’t!” she told
in preparation for Bristol and had
Earl. “We’re covered with mud,
found the banner which, for some
and your truck is so nice and clean!”
reason that I don’t remember, he
I busted a gut trying not to laugh.
had brought back for us. He went to
Earl wasn’t swayed.
the trouble of pulling the records from
The following year, in Carol’s very
2004 and identifying us as #12 and in the
next gas flight, she and Richard were
midst of preparing for Bristol he had taken
forced into a power line, Richard ejected and
the time to get the banner back to us.
severely hurt, and Carol landed the balloon her-
This banner is now very special to us; spe-
28 Ballooning www.bfa.net
cial because Thionville was our first Gordon Bennett but
more importantly, that was the year that, after finishing
second behind the Leys brothers the year before, Richard
won with Carol as co-pilot by flying for many hours in rain
across the Baltic Sea to land in northern Sweden. At that
awards ceremony, three time winner, Vincent Leys of France
acknowledged what everyone who has competed against
Richard knows – If Richard is not ahead of you, he will be
stalking you from behind. Vincent smiled as he coined a new
and apropos nickname for Richard, saying, “the Lone Wolf
has finally captured his prey.” We especially cherish the effort
Richard went through to return the banner to us. I now
regret that I did not have the presence of mind to ask him to
sign it for us.
J. Michael Wallace shared this memory of Richard with
me. At this year’s Bristol Gordon Bennett, Michael was hav-
ing difficulty installing the European data base into his flight
GPS and in desperation, the night before the launch, asked
Richard for help. Michael said that Richard spend close to an
hour getting things straightened out for him. If one has not
experienced the activity and anxiety level just prior to a G-B
launch, this may not seem to be a big deal, but let me assure
you that it was.
In US gas ballooning, Richard virtually owned the
America’s Challenge Race, starting with a win in the initial
race in 1995 on something of a technicality, his totals for nine
races that he entered through 2004 were five first places, two
seconds and one third. A truly amazing record consider-
ing that he flew with four different co-pilots and only once
finished out of the money during that stretch. I can vouch
for the difficulty of this accomplishment, as I was usually one
of the pilots following in his wake.
Yet another side of Richard was revealed during the me-
morial service held for him at the Anderson Abruzzo Albu-
querque International Balloon Museum in October. Photos
of an always smiling, confident, longish haired, ski racing and
mountain biking teenager made me wish I had talked to him
about his early exploits. It was casually mentioned that he
had biked across country as a young man. I knew Richard
enjoyed mountain biking, but when I saw a photo of a young
Richard triumphantly holding his bike over his head, it slowly
dawned on me that “across country” meant not on a “cross-
country” trail, but rather from California all the way to the
East Coast. I would love to know how long that trip lasted
and how the logistics were handled.
And Gary Johnson, ex-governor of New Mexico and
frequent co-pilot of Richard’s, said,
“Richard set the bar high and made us play our ‘A’ game.
Let’s pursue our own passions as a tribute to Richard, and
grab life by the tail.”
Perhaps his older brother, Louis Abruzzo, described
Richard best when he said at the service that Richard had
many adventures in life and had a wonderful guardian angel,
who was kept very, very busy, but in the end, the poor angel
just could not keep up with Richard. Richard competed
hard, played hard, held his family and friends close and
always had a smile either on his face or lurking just below the
surface. He enjoyed life even when it was not nice to him.
Earlier this year he appeared at a lunch with a cast on his
wrist, the result of a mountain bike fall. Even this occurrence
January / February 2011
self in very high and unstable winds (after securing emergency
aid for Richard while rocketing skyward).
Two months later, Carol received four major awards from
the National Aeronautic Association. At the formal dinner,
the balloonists, comprised of John and Carol, Richard and
Nancy Abruzzo, my husband and me, were seated with an as-
tronaut who was receiving one (minor) award. Said astronaut
drooled copiously over another award recipient, female, also
receiving just one minor award. Later, he made an offhand
comment as to how he’d never flown in a gas balloon, and
would like to one day. Reflecting on her last two gas flights,
Carol commented, “I’ll take him,” quietly, but with a spark in
her eye that cracked us up.
In 1988, I applied for the position of Editor of this
magazine. My hiring began a very new way of doing busi-
ness for the BFA, as it was the start of the desktop publishing
era. Carol at that time was on the BFA Board of Directors,
serving as treasurer. Having spent my early ballooning years
in northern New England, working too much to travel to the
out-of-state events, I had never met her, though she was al-
ready a legend by then. Working with Carol that first year was
a joy. She was professional and approachable, to say nothing
of patient with my unfamiliarity with the BFA and its political
structure.
Very soon after accepting the job, I also met John, and
the two of them together were an obviously unbeatable team.
I had lost my father and my brief first marriage very suddenly
just a year before, and was relieved to see in John and Carol
another solid and committed marriage, the likes of which I
had previously only glimpsed in my parents’ union. In Carol
and John, I saw that rare phenomenon of a ballooning couple
where support and encouragement flowed both ways, and
where competition was reserved for the target, not the home.
Within that home, I saw only affection, freely and frequently
expressed. I regret not having told Carol that her marriage
encouraged my resolve not ever again to settle for less.
I did mention that Carol saved my life. Fast forward from
1988 to 2004. Richard having decided to fly with the Gov-
ernor of New Mexico in the Americas Challenge Gas Balloon
Race, Carol and I were free to fly together. We had talked
about doing so off and on over the years, but neither of us
owned a gas balloon, and Carol and Richard were a great
team. That year, I had bought a gas balloon, and Carol was
free.
The flight has been covered elsewhere, but not the mo-
ment when our fate was determined, at least the way I see
it. We were the heart of the super cell storm at 16,000 feet.
Thunder crashed all around us, hail pounding the envelope.
Everything in the basket was charged, and touching equip-
ment or the uprights gave us tingles and shocks. We stowed
everything we could stow, and began our descent, not know-
ing in what way the flight would end. I was shaking so hard
that I couldn’t fasten the strap on my helmet, and Carol had
to help me perform that simple task.
I looked her straight in the face and said, “Carol, I’m
seriously terrified right now.” She looked back, coolly, and
answered, “Me too. So let’s land.” Carol’s calm, even though
I’m pretty sure she was working very hard at faking it,
snapped the spell. The ride down wasn’t fun, or stress-free,
Ballooning 29
brought out a smile as he described the slapstick ballet of
bike and rider that ended with him on the ground next to the
bike. No one could keep up with Richard, but our lives are
richer for having known him.

As a balloon builder Bert Padelt had a uniquely intimate

relationship with Richard Abruzzo. He offered this recollection.

I
n 1994, I built Richard’s first gas balloon. A business
relationship that quickly became a friendship. In Sep-
tember of that year I delivered the balloon to him in St.
Louis. He would be flying this balloon for the first time in a
gas balloon event that was being organized by Randy Woods.
As we sat in the hotel room the night before the race, our
conversation quickly went from paperwork and inflating the
balloon to his childhood and what it was like growing up
around ballooning and his fathers transatlantic balloon flight.
I remember developing my admiration for Richard that night
as I sat there listening to his stories. Looking into his eyes I
realized that the goals Richard was setting for himself in bal-
looning was for the love that he had for his Mother, Father,
and his Family.
In March of 2001 Richard was in the air attempting to but it was controlled, as were we both. We did what we had
break his father’s duration record in the AA-6 category, a re- to do, and we walked away unhurt.
cord that had been in his family’s name for over twenty years. That is a very dramatic memory. Equally enduring,
During the seventy-fifth hour shortly after he broke the re- however, is the one of when Carol adopted Klawde, a kitten
cord I received a phone call from him while he was still flying. from my Sophie’s litter. Timing being perfect, I brought him
Having just broken his father’s record, he was very emotional with me to Fiesta. John and Carol spent the week in a motor
as he thanked me for building the balloon that allowed him coach in the President’s Compound, and invited me to visit
to achieve his goal. I was just as emotional as I hung up the after Klawde had been with them for several days. The entire
phone for it had occurred to me that this flight which was still coach was full of feathers on strings, catnip mice, plastic balls
taking place was done out of the love he had for his father. with bells inside, you get the picture. Carol was unpacking yet
Fast forward to July 4th 2007. David Hempleman another shopping bag full of kitten stuff. John commented
Adams was half way across the Atlantic Ocean attempting to drily, “Carol, don’t you think we’ve gone a little overboard
break Richards AA-6 duration record. Up to this point this on the cat toys?”
flight had been bitter sweet for me for I was involved with She just laughed.
this record having built the balloon, launched the balloon
and now sitting in Newfoundland advising the flight as well. The following is an edited excerpt from the eulogy for
Because of the friendship I had with Richard, I was worried Carol Rymer-Davis delivered by her brother-in-law Drew
about how he would feel about David breaking this record Davis. It is used here with permission of the family.

S
o what did Carol accomplish in her life? Actually, a bet-
ter question is what didn’t she accomplish?
Most of us can recall and appreciate many of Carol’s
sporting endeavors, starting with climbing mountains - every
fourteen thousand foot peak in Colorado by the time she was
18. There are people still trying to accomplish that in the
twilight of their lives! Most recently, Carol started to take her
knowledge of weather and winds and apply them to a new
pursuit - sailing! I am certain that given enough time, she
would have soon started sailing competitively and would have
captured a championship or two!
Skiing was a passion that Carol pursued her entire life,
and most recently she applied her focus to becoming the best
all-around skier in Colorado in her age group. While she ac-
complished that more than once, in truth, we all know that
she took more pleasure in beating the women, and especially
the men, in younger age brackets as she pushed her way down
the mountain! And along the way, she managed to win first

30 Ballooning www.bfa.net
and my involvement in the project. Once again my admira-
tion for Richard stayed intact as I received the following
email:
Hi Bert,
Don’t know if you are talking to David but here is a mes-
sage for him:
Hi David,
July 4, 2007 4:15 PM Albuquerque
Wow! – I was off doing some fun 4th of July stuff with the
kids this morning and when I checked back in on your progress
you were already almost half-way across! Once you get over the
hump it is all downhill to the finish! Beyond the obvious (cross-
ing the North Atlantic!) I am pretty sure that a lot of folks are
not clear as to how difficult of a thing you are trying to ac-
complish. When I flew this same size (AA-6) and type (Padelt)
across the North American continent in 2003, I felt very fortu-
nate to have achieved the first solo transcontinental flight and a
world distance and duration record in the process, knowing that
I had taken that tiny balloon almost to the limits of its capabil-
ity. You are once again extending the limits of what is possible
with these tiny balloons. The big difference in what you are
doing, and it is a very big difference, is that you are conduct-
ing this flight entirely over the sea without the safety net of land
below.
I have no doubt you will pull it off. The weather looks good,
your speeds are coming up and you are one tough hombre!
Make sure to get some shut-eye before you land, an hour or two
will do, so that you are fresh and can get that thing back on the
ground safe.
All the Best,
Richard Abruzzo
That night I spoke to a very tired David Hempleman Ad-
ams after he had gone through his sunset. He became very
emotional as I read Richard’s letter to him. As if Richard
knew, that letter came at the perfect time
and my reading it to David was a
huge morale booster for him.
He went on to cross the
coast of France and
break Richard’s AA-6
duration record.
Richard was
one of my peers.
He loved life, the
spirit of adventure,
and even more he
loved his family and
just like others I have
known in this sport that
are now gone, he will be
greatly missed.
January / February 2011
place in the Masters class for the Rocky Mountain Region
starting in 2003 all the way through 2009!
Then there was handball and racquetball - handball and
racquetball? Yes, at one point Carol was a nationally ranked
player in racquetball and was a national quarter finalist in
handball in 1985! And don’t forget about her foray into the
grueling world of endurance sports - participating and placing
in numerous biathlons, triathlons and quadrathlons between
1986 and 1990. (Only Carol could find a sport that I had
never even heard of!) Then as a by product of those efforts
Carol also competed in a number of marathons, half-mara-
thons and bicycle races and time-trials.
In spite of all her sporting endeavors, Carol did have a
job also! She started her incredible medical career by serving
on the ship Hope in what was then Ceylon, now the coun-
try of Sri Lanka. Interestingly enough, this is one of the few
times that I know of when Carol struggled to acquire and
master a skill. Some of the local personnel in Ceylon worked
to teach her how to prepare and cook curry. It is an ongo-
ing joke in our family about how much we always “enjoyed”
Carol’s curry! But each and every time was a new adventure
in temperature control using wildly varying amounts and
combinations of water, beer, wine or any other liquid to
quench the culinary fires she managed to create...
...But in the end, ballooning was the one thing that held
Carol most closely in its grasp. Out of all her other pursuits,
why ballooning? Most likely for her because the challenge of
planning and analyzing everything to the “nth” degree, only
then to be totally at the whim of Mother Nature. Those of
you from the gas and hot-air balloon communities know that
all the plans you had when you took off, all the understand-
ing of the weather from a briefing, all your knowledge of
exactly how the balloon can perform–all those are in question
as soon as the bond with earth is severed. That, for Carol was
the ultimate challenge!...
...So what is it that defines Carol’s legacy? A longtime
friend who was an early member of the Albuquerque balloon
community captured the essence of Carol when she said that
Carol was a “Quiet Power.” Carol always knew
that with preparation, study and hard
work she could accomplish anything
she decided to tackle. At the end
of an interview she once gave
this advice about taking on
new challenges: “Get a
teacher, have goals, learn
methodically. You can
do it.” Carol lived that
philosophy every day of
her life.
Photo Credits:
Page 25 - Peter W. Richardson
Page 26 - Cindy Petrehn
Page 28 - Carol Rymer-Davis, Richard Abruzzo
Page 29 - Jay Blackwood
Ballooning 31
 BALLOON FIESTA:

photo by Cindy Petrehn

I
I
f you’re an early riser then the
2010 Balloon Fiesta was for
you. Those who were up with
sun as it peaked over the crest of
the Sandia Mountains were witness
to nine days of ballooning at its
best.
On the other hand, if you were
inclined to sleep in and wait for the
evening events, you might have

Year of the
been sorely disappointed. You see,
it was Mother Nature who held the
starring role in 2010. When she was
good (in the mornings), she was
very, very good. And when she was

ROOSTER
bad well, you get the idea.
Indeed the one stalwart of the
oft weather canceled evening events
was the Albuquerque Journal’s
Afterglow Fireworks. These man-
made pyrotechnics matched if not

by glen moyer
exceeded those of Mother Nature
and sent crowds home with a
smile, even when the balloons were
packed away early.

32 Ballooning www.bfa.net
 SAFETY was the buzzword
heard round the land from start
to finish and from every official of
every kind. Nowhere was this more
apparent than on Friday morning
when the last, and most dramatic
(pole grab) day of competition was
canceled. Special Shapes tethered
on the field (making up for the
lost Rodeo Glowdeo of the night
before) and those who wished were
cleared to fly. Balloon Fiesta’s new
Event Director Don Edwards said
officials saw in Friday’s forecast the
identical conditions that last year
ended in hard landings and one
fatality in a powerline contact.
It was a gutsy decision but
one that drew praise from most
pilots and the spectators. Ironically,
Friday morning was a mid-semester
holiday for the Albuquerque Public
Schools so the crowd was enlarged
by hundreds of vacationing school
kids. And no one likes Shapes more
than kids.
Speaking of Special Shapes,
2010 was another banner year for
the debut of 18 fantasies in flight.
Among the first year shapes
were Three Monkeys (See no evil,
Hear no evil, Speak no evil), Pencil
Boy, Crazy Crab, Sky Heart, Sno-
Bird, Tom & Polly (a pair of brother
& sister kangaroos), Joelly (a baby
bumblebee that joined Joey and
Lilly), Zebra (inspired by Balloon
Fiesta’s lovable launch directors),
the aforementioned Rooster, and
others. These were joined by old
favorites like Airabelle-the Flying
Cow and Darth Vader.
Making a special appearance
(though some would argue it is not
truly a special shape) was the hot
air replica of the Breitling Orbiter
3 balloon and one of its famous
pilots, Brian Jones. It was Jones
and Bertrand Piccard who were first
to fly a balloon around the world.
Jones and the Orbiter replica were
at Balloon fiesta on the final stop
of a worldwide tour celebrating the
10th anniversary of their historic
flight.
Sadly the joy and excitement
that usually accompanies the arrival
of hundred of pilots and crew and
the tens of thousands of spectators
to Albuquerque was muted this year
January / February 2011
by the news from the 2010 Gordon
Bennett Race Control Center in
Bristol, England. On Wednesday
morning, prior to opening day,
word came that Americans Richard
Abruzzo and Dr. Carol Rymer-Da-
vis were missing over the Adriatic
Sea. Abruzzo, of Albuquerque,
and Rymer-Davis, a former resi-
dent now from Denver, were both
expected at Balloon Fiesta.
For days everyone hung on the
edge awaiting the latest word from
the land, air and sea search. A hand-
ful of unofficial gatherings were or-
ganized including a candlelight vigil
and balloon glow at the Anderson-
Abruzzo Balloon Museum. Finally
word came that evidence suggested
their balloon had suffered a sudden
and catastrophic failure.
Abruzzo was scheduled to have
flown in the America’s Challenge
gas balloon race with former New
Mexico Governor Gary Johnson.
While the sun shone brightly in the
morning, Mother Nature threw
wind, rain and tumultuous weather
at Albuquerque each evening. The
launch of America’s Challenge was
delayed, delayed and delayed again.
It was almost as if she wanted to
grieve with us.
When the event did launch it
began with a moving tribute to the
missing aeronauts. As their individ-
ual hot air balloons glowed beneath
the midnight black sky, the compet-
ing gas balloons stood in silent ob-
servance as pilots, crew, spectators,
friends and family released a barrage
of white pibals. As The Star Span-
gled Banner played the multitude of
white balloons slowly disappeared
into the dark void carrying with
them countless hopes and prayers
for the fallen friends.
Gradually the smiles re-
turned to Balloon Fiesta. In a
change designed to enhance safety
(there’s that word again) and in
part because of wind direction, all
competition flights were fly ins. A
further change saw those pilots not
interested in competition allowed
to launch from the field so as not to
have to find themselves in the same
airspace as those pilots concentrat-
ing on targets.
Balloon Fiesta Hold-em cou-
pled with standard X targets and a
handful of cash grab poles drew the
pilots’ attention. With the cancel-
lation of the final day of competi-
tion, the prime pole grab prize - a
Lindstrand Balloons Cloudhopper,
was moved to the overall Grand
Prize leaving some pilots wishing
their baggie tosses had been a shade
more accurate! (For overall results,
see Fiesta Facts on page 37).
A few new events were added
to the program including the Krispy
Kreme Dawn Glow - a dozen bal-
loons spread sporadically around
the park that glowed to help fill the
time gap between the Dawn Patrol
Show and each days’ morning
ascension. Also new to the field was
the Monday FlySwapper - a sort
of garage sale/flea market where
registered pilots could sign up and
sell used ballooning gear and equip-
ment. There was also a kite flying
contest, two Nikon camera/photo
workshops and, in a testament to
the times we live in, an iPhone App
to help locate your favorite pilot or
merely to navigate the Main Street
shopping promenade.
In the end the 2010 Bal-
loon Fiesta proved an unqualified
success. Executive Director Paul
Smith told Aero-News TV that the
opening weekend appeared to have
been one of the best in the past five
years. The Official figures proved
him right, reporting more than
811,000 spectator visits second
only to 2007’s 899,000 plus visits.
2011 - already slated as The
Greatest Show Off Earth will launch
from October 1st to 9th. What
will the 40th Balloon Fiesta hold?
In that same interview with Aero-
News TV Smith hinted there might
be some return to the good old
days - a bit of ‘retro’ Balloon Fiesta
could be coming.
Can you say Tumbleweed Toss
and Toga Party!???
The following pages are snap-
shots from the 2010 Balloon Fiesta
captured by BALLOONING’s staff
photographers, Cindy Petrehn, Ron
Behrmann and Paul D. deBerjeois
Ballooning 33
 photo
deBerjeois
Paul D

Balloon Fiesta founder Sid Cutter, wife

t

Jewel and pilot Ray Bair bask in the glow to

ois pho
of another great Fiesta flight! deBerje
Paul D

Cindy P
etrehn ph
oto

Cindy P
o
erjeois phot
Paul D deB etrehn p
Cindy P
etrehn ph
oto
hoto

Ron Behrmann photo

Ron Be
hrmann
photo

t
t

Sometimes balloons are not

enough for the kidos!
t (of any age!)

t
Crowds we
re the larg
est since 2
007, more
than 811,0
00 visits!

34 Ballooning www.bfa.net
Cindy Petrehn photo
 Paul
D de
Berje
ois ph
oto

Paul D deBerjeois photo

t
Can anyone hum the theme from Bonanza?
Baby
t

Joelly
joins
Lily a
nd Jo
ey Be
e t

ois photo
deBerje
Paul D

d
ompoun
resident’s C
AIBF P

Ron Behrmann photo

t t
nics,
Sometimes there were so many Pyrotech e!
d
man- a
m
balloons you felt you were seeing natural and
spots before your eyes!
t

January / February 2011 Ballooning 35

 Paul D deBerjeois photo

t
Silent prayers carried aloft

is photo
deBerjeo
Paul D
ois photo
deBerje
Paul D
Paul D deBerj
eois photo

t
t
3-2-1-All Burn Dawn Patrol

Cindy Petrehn photo

eois photo
Paul D deBerj

t t
36 Ballooning Kissin’ cousins??? www.bfa.net
 Ron Behrmann photo

Ron
Behrm
ann
t photo
t
We’re Fly Swappin’!

Cindy Petrehn photo

ois photo
deBerje
Paul D

Cindy Petrehn photo

t
t
New Special Shapes

Maury Petrehn takes dead aim on

t

the target

We Are the Champions! (L to R)

erjeois photo
Paul D deB Tom Forenz of CO - 2nd Place, $7,000
Bryan Hill of AZ - 1st Place, Lindstrand Cloudhopper
Robert Duff of NM - $4,000
t
Paul D deBerjeois photo

nding!
iends, good times at The La
d food, good fr
t Goo

January / February 2011 Ballooning 37

 Celebrate 40 Years
of Balloon Fiesta®
Albuquerque and the world will celebrate the 40th
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® in 2011!
To mark this special milestone, Balloon Fiesta®
announces the release of a new official book
documenting the history, color and excitement of the
world’s grandest ballooning showcase. This full-color
book will feature hundreds of photos from the world’s
most photographed event, highlighting some of the
most exciting moments in its rich history. The book
will be a great way to remember your favorite
balloons, events, and most of all, the people who
helped shape this spectacular event. Publication is
planned for late spring of 2011.

To learn more about the book project send an email

to AIBF40@nmsantos.com and we will keep you
up-to-date on the progress and release of this
Official Fiesta Book, If you prefer, download
pre-release ordering information at: “In 1972, I fell in love with the beauty
www.nmsantos.com/AIBF40.pdf and grace and simplicity of ballooning.
Forty years later, I’m still in love.
—Sid Cutter

38 Ballooning www.bfa.net
 Storm warnings will be posted at launch
fields all across the land this season as
Hurricane Fans roar into life.

Now under new ownership, Hurricane

Fans have been inflating balloons for more
than two decades. Our original design

FANS, INC. features a free-air style guard, a 30”

laminated aircraft grade prop, the
dependable 9.5hp Honda engine, a sturdy
frame with vibration dampers and
pneumatic tires for easy movement. The
free air design produces more air flow than
the others, in fact we guarantee it in side
by side comparisons to test for HIGHEST
CFMs in the sport.

And coming soon, a new lifetime materials

and defects warranty on our props and a
5-year warranty on the frame.

Don’t get left wishing you were up there;

inflate with the force of a HURRICANE!

25 years and still 1-800-688-6143

www.hurricanefansinc.com
Blowin’ Up A Storm! Proudly Made In Five Points, Alabama

January / February 2011 Ballooning 39

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40 Ballooning www.bfa.net
WHEN YOU’RE HOT,
YOU’RE HOT!

H
Operating Temperatures…Perception vs. Reality
By Paul Petrehn

H
aving been involved in hot
air balloon manufacturing
since 2003, I’ve become
quite concerned over a recent trend
in “perceived” operating tempera-
tures. Setting porosity aside, the
“Laws of Physics” verify that two
balloons of equal volume, carrying
identical payloads, flying at the same
altitude and flying in the same ambi-
ent temperature will have the exact
same take-off envelope temperature.
When comparing “apples to apples”,
neither brand, manufacturer’s gross
weight limit, model, envelope shape
or fabric type influence the envelope
temperature required for lift-off.
With that being said, I routinely
encounter pilots that fly a similar
size envelope to mine (56,000-
70,000 cubic feet). They talk about
how cool their balloon is flying and
believe they can add more fuel and/
or fly a passenger or two as well as
maneuver aggressively to targets.
The following temperature calcula-
tions are estimated weights and do
NOT account for fuel burn, cooler
temperatures aloft or maneuvering.
Total System Weight: 1,043
Volume: 60,000 cubic feet
Ambient Temperature: 80°F
Calculated Envelope Temp @ 800’
MSL: 254°F
Calculated Envelope Temp @ 1,800’
MSL: 262°F
Pilot #2 (“My Flytec sensor says
I’m only flying at 150-180°F”):
Empty Weight: 534
Fuel (45-gallons): 190
Total Wet Weight: 724
Pilot Weight: 200
Misc. Weight: 10
Total System Weight: 934 Fuel (45-gallons): 190
Volume: 60,000 cubic feet Total Wet Weight: 683
Ambient Temperature: 80°F
Calculated Envelope Temp @ 800’
MSL: 231°F
Calculated Envelope Temp @ 1,800’
MSL: 238°F
Pilot #3 (“I was maneuvering
at 150-155 F and flying level @
120°F.”):
Calculated Envelope Temp @ 800’
MSL: 201°F
Calculated Envelope Temp @ 5,500’
MSL: 241°F
(Pilot #3 would require an envelope
volume of approximately 131,000
cubic feet for take-off temperature
to be 120°F.)
Pilot #4 (“I carry 2 skydivers, plus
their gear, three titanium tanks,
climb @ 1,200 fpm to 6,000’
without coming close to over temp
limits.”):
Empty Weight: 493
Pilot & Passenger Weight: 650
Misc. Weight: 10
Total System Weight: 1,343
Volume: 69,000 cubic feet
Ambient Temperature: 70°F
Calculated Envelope Temp @ 800’
MSL: 263°F
Calculated Envelope Temp @ 6,000’
MSL: 324°F

Pilot #1 (“I haven’t turned or I’ve Empty Weight: 544 Confident in the size of my bal-
only turned 225°F on my tempera- Fuel (45-gallons): 190 loon (60,000 cubic feet), the place-
ture labels.”): Total Wet Weight: 734 ment of its temperature labels and
Pilot & Passenger Weight: 450 temperature sensor and confident in
Empty Weight: 579 Misc. Weight: 10 the calibration of my temperature
Fuel (60-gallons): 254 Total System Weight: 1,194 sensor, I decided to take a closer
Total Wet Weight: 833 Volume: 69,000 cubic feet look at this discrepancy.
Pilot Weight: 200 Ambient Temperature: 50°F
Misc. Weight: 10

January / February 2011 Ballooning 41

 Temperature Sensor Position
The first area I chose to investi-
gate was the envelope temperature
sensor position. I installed and com-
pared both a Ball 655/M55 sensor
and a Flytec 3040 TT34 wireless
sensor. Both sensors were checked
for accuracy and installed by my lo-
cal repair station.
Once installed, both sensor
readings matched the expected
envelope temperature as calculated
by a “Laws of Physics” gross lift and
envelope temperature calculator
and manufacturer’s gross lift chart.
They matched as long as the sensors
weren’t placed too close or too far
away from the envelope’s skin.
If placed too close to the skin,
the envelope reading would read
The photos below demonstrate improper and proper tem-
perature sensor positioning. At top - the sensor has slipped
behind its mounting and is “protected.” At center - the sensor
protrudes from its mounting but remains tight to the envelope
fabric/skin. At bottom - a properly positioned sensor extend-
ing 1-2 inches away from the envelope skin.
42 Ballooning
too cool (25-50+ degrees) due to
the cooling that happens in a thin
boundary layer close to the skin.
The cooler the ambient tempera-
ture, the greater this difference is.
If too far away from the skin,
the envelope reading would be too
warm (25-50+ degrees) due to it’s
proximity to the core temperature.
This location is more susceptible to
each blast of the burner.
I found the most accurate posi-
tion to be 1-2 inches from the skin.
This position follows the “Laws of
Physics” gross lift and envelope tem-
perature calculation and my manu-
facturer’s gross lift chart.
It should be noted that the
temperature sensor placement in
some balloons might be several feet
further down the envelope than oth-
ers. The lower position and the pos-
sibility of a shifting sensor becoming
protected can result in “perceived”
envelope temperatures 25-50+ de-
grees cooler than “actual” envelope
temperatures as calculated by the
“Laws of Physics” and/or manufac-
turer’s gross lift chart (depending on
actual ambient temperature).
Temperature Label Position
The other area of investigation
was temperature label (telltale) posi-
tion. These labels are often sewn to
the envelope either with a “tab” to
the load tape or the entire label is
sewn flat to the load tape.
Labels sewn on a “tab” (see
photos on page 45) matched both
the Ball and Flytec sensors as well
as the “expected” temperature as
calculated by a “Laws of Physics”
gross lift and envelope temperature
calculator and manufacturer’s gross
lift chart. Not only was this repeated
when installed in an actual enve-
lope, but also it was further verified
in samples placed inside an oven.
The oven temperature was gradu-
ally increased and confirmed by
both sensors. In multiple instances
the label sewn flat to the load tape
read 25-50+ degrees cooler than
both sensors, but the labels sewn on
the “tab” continued to match both
calibrated sensors.
Maximum Gross Weight
Maximum gross weight is a limit
set by a manufacturer and NOT a
measure of performance. In order
to take advantage of this limit you
have to be flying at sea level with
an ambient temperature of less
than 60° F. An inaccurately placed
temperature sensor and/or label,
indicating cooler than expected op-
erating temperatures, doesn’t allow
the manufacturer’s maximum gross
weight or adjusted gross weight to
be exceeded.
Envelope Shape
Volume is volume. The shape of
a balloon will not increase or reduce
level flight cruising temperatures.
However, it can impact maneuvering
temperatures.
The evolution of the more
aerodynamic ‘Racer’ has reduced
maneuvering temperatures, par-
ticularly when climbing. When
descending, a ‘Racer’ doesn’t need
to cool as much in order to descend
rapidly. This can reduce the amount
of “extra” or “over and above” heat
needed to return to equilibrium as
long as it’s not done “all at once”
with long, continuous burns.
Wired vs. Wireless Sensors
They are both very accurate
ways to acquire envelope tempera-
ture but, a wired instrument sen-
sor is much quicker to respond to
a change in temperature, whereas
the wireless unit transmits a change
every 4 seconds. Wired sensors are
more capable of hanging into the
envelope that preferred 1-2 inches
whereas, the wireless sensor is more
prone to being protected by its
attachment at the envelope’s skin.
Both can be properly positioned to
coincide with the temperature labels,
the manufacturer’s gross weight cal-
culation and the “Laws of Physics”.
continued on page 45
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44 Ballooning www.bfa.net
continued from page 42

In Summary

While manufacturers are measuring the skin tempera-

ture at two locations on the envelope, pilots shouldn’t be
adjusting their payloads based solely on label and sensor
readings, especially if those readings don’t agree with the
aircraft’s gross weight chart.
A pilot who “perceives” their balloon to be flying 25-
50+ degrees cooler than “reality” will likely add more pas-
senger and/or fuel weight even though their aircraft’s gross
weight chart might say otherwise. The end result is a bal-
loon that wants to “fly like a ton of bricks”. Combine this
“perception” with a Racer and you have pilots descending
an already aerodynamic balloon with a “realistic” payload 300 degrees - 250 degrees - 300 degrees. In this photo the tell tales sewn on a
that exceeds the aircraft’s adjusted gross lift as well as “real- “tab” matched the expected temperatures while those sewn flat to the load tape
(center) repeatedly failed in testing - meaning they consistently read cooler
istic” temperatures that “should” be limiting maneuvering. than the sensor indicated temperature.
I encourage pilots to consult their manufacturer and
perform an accurate gross lift calculation and envelope
temperature analysis; no matter what brand, model or size
balloon you may fly. If your temperature sensor and labels
don’t agree with the “Laws of Physics” or manufacturers
gross weight chart, I suggest you take a close look at which
is more important in terms of safety, the FAA, performance
and longevity of your aircraft.

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January / February 2011 Ballooning 45

 BFA Member Services
Directory
board of directors
president: Troy Bradley, At-Large
10513 Espira Court. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114
email: tbradley@nmia.com
505-899-7292 (res)
vice president: Matt Fenster, N. Central Region
1507 Brenda Dr, Bellvue, NE 68005
email: mwfenster@aol.com
secretary: Cory Miller, West Region
1880 45th Avenue NE, Salem, OR 97205
cory@ballooningphotos.net
503-510-1215
treasurer: Kevin Knapp, Director At Large
740 Greenville Blvd., Ste. 400-182, Greenville, NC 27858
email: ARMYLTA@aol.com
252 916-6631 (cell)
169 Portsmouth St. # 169, Concord, NH 03301
Jim Thompson: NAA Delegate
5622 Francis Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310
email: jim@thompsonaire.com
515-277-1233 (res)
directors
Shelley Caraway, Southwest Region
322 Knowles, Kilgore, TX, 75662
Email: balloonist@peoplepc.com
903-986-0933 (res)
Jim Lynch, Southeast Region
8549 SE 71st AVenue, Ocala, FL 34472
email: jim@lynchaviation.com
352-895-7569
Andrew Baird, Director At Large
3609 Summer Brook Ct., St. Louis, MO 63129-2300
7399 Newman Blvd, Dexter, MI 48130
Email: baird@cameronballoons.com
734-426-5525 (ofc)
402-292-2242 (res)
Bill Hughes, Northeast Region
99 Teller Avenue, Beacon, NY 12508
email: theballoonman@optonline.net
845-831-5024 (res)
Ken Walter, Great Lakes Region
W241 S4115 Pine Hollow Ct Waukesha, WI 53189
email: WiWindDancer@cs.com
Balloon Clubs and BFA Long Jump
262-524-8763 (res)
BFA Office
Sharon Ripperger, Office Manager
Address changes, information, library, products
P.O. Box 400, 1601 N Jefferson, Indianola, IA 50125
email: bfa office@bfa.net
515–961–8809 (bus), 515–961–3537 (fax)
Ballooning Journal
Glen Moyer, Editor
2585 Barron Rd., Keithville, LA 71047
email: editor@bfa.net
318-925-4908 (home office)
CIA Delegate: Mark Sullivan
439 Live Oak Loop, Albuquerque, NM 87122
1364 Conway Oaks Dr., Chesterfield, MO 63017
email: marksulivan@gasballooning.org
505–256-3808 (bus)
NAA Liaison: Rick Jones
169 Portsmouth St. # 169, Concord, NH 03301
email: RickJones@blastvalve.com
603-224-7972 (res)
CIA Sporting Badges: Koh Murai
16927 NE Morrelli Dr., Yamhill, OR 97148
503 662-3000 (res)
46 Ballooning
Index to Advertisers
Anatolin Balloons................ 39
balloon Fiesta Heritage....... 38
Balloon Promotions............... 17
Legal Counsel: David Rapp Balloon The Rockies............. 47
1364 Conway Oaks Dr., Chesterfield, MO 63017
BFA Convention....................... 7
email: drapp40@gmail.com
314–580-9468
Cameron Balloons U.S. ........ IFC
hot air competition Division
Paul Petrehn: Chairman
Celebration........................... 43
1115 Rial Lake Dr., Howell, MI 48843
e-mail: paulp@cameronballoons.com
Corporate Member Market... 44
866-423-6178 (Ofc)
gas Division
Custom Nine Balloons............... 49
Peter Cuneo: Chairman
1209 Florida, NE Albuquerque, NM 87110
Evolution (Prime) Insurance...... 8
e-mail: petercuneo@msn.com
505-265-2865
Fantasy Balloons.................... 38
Webmaster
Rick Jones
Head Balloons................... 9, 43
email: RickJones@blastvalve.com
Hurricane fans..................... 39
603-224-7972 (res)
Museum
IMC Balloon Agency............ IBC
Becky Wigeland
P.O. Box 149, Indianola, IA 50125
Kubicek Balloons.................. 23
515–961–3714 (bus)
BFA Youth Programs
Kustom Kards........................ 17
Shelley Caraway - Chairman
322Knowles, Kilgore, TX 75662
LTA Aviation............................................. 47
email: balloonist@peoplepc.com
903-986-0933 (res)
Lindstrand Balloons USA........ OBC
pilot achievement awards
Scott Wooge
Mountain High E & S Co.......... 47
314-845-7746 (res)
Plano Pin Co. . .......................... 9
crew achievement awards
Bob Tyszka
Soaring Adventures......... 24-25
20900 Lasky, California City, CA 93505
email: baluncru@verizon.net
Stumpf Balloons................ 9, 43, 47
760-373-5693 (res)
Master Instructor Program
The Schantz Agency..................... 40
Don Weeks
6900 Alpine Ln., Amarillo, TX 79109
Ultramagic Balloons.............. 5
806-358-8702 (res)
US Hot Air Balloon Team..... 11
Nancy Griffin
7935 Livingston Lane, Fort Collins, CO 80525
email: ngriffin@webaccess.net
970–667–2246 (res) Acceptance of advertising does
Awards
not in any way imply endorse-
Orv Olivier
ment of products or services
3208 E. 31st, Sioux Falls, SD 57103
email: oolivier@amfam.com by the BFA or Ballooning. We
605-332-6688 (res) welcome any report of inferior
seminars merchandise/services delivered
Tim Gale
through our advertising so
PO Box 723, St Helens, OR 97051
that corrective measures can be
(503) 366-0608 (res)
Education publications Review taken.
David Rapp
email: drapp40@gmail.com
314–580-9468
www.bfa.net
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January / February 2011 Ballooning 47
 The 2010 Editorial Index and Reference Guide
January/February 2010
PiBal: BFA AGM Award Winners
Notams: Varied news shorts
Crew Zone: Crewing Special Shapes
Flight School: Passenger Briefing
PostFlight: A Seaside Surprise
OutReach: AOPA Summit 2009
Features:
Flight of a lifetime - Gordon Bennett
The 38th Fiesta by the Numbers
Into the Wild Blue Yonder - Balloons at Edwards AFB
Balloon Camp Michigan
Pirep: St. Jean 30 Years On
March/April 2010
PiBal: Design & Save a (Museum) Window
Notams: Varied news items
Crew Zone: Disembarking Passengers
Flight School: Law of Primacy
PostFlight: Just Say No
Features:
Magic Carpet Ride (Ballooning in Turkey)
What’s in a Name? (Purple People Eater)
Exploring the Lost World (Venezuela)
A Guy Named Joe (Kittinger)
PiRep: St. Jean Investing in its Future
May/June 2010
PiBal: Suited Up (Red Bull Skydive Project)
Notams: various news items
Crew Zone: Festival Crewing
Flight School: Flight in Traffic
PostFlight: The Four Ps of Landing
CIAFile: Levin/White win Montgolfier
Features:
Going, Going, Gone? (Corporate Ballooning)
Call for Entries: Colorado Classic Community Relations
Sentinnel of Stone (Scaling Highest Peak in Americas)
The Flight Review (meaningful & Rewarding)
PiRep: Channel Crossing Under Cluster (Planning)
48 Ballooning
July/August 2010
PiBal: New Books Celebrate Iowa/Fiesta
Notams: various news items
Crew Zone: Forecast Accuracy
Flight School: Fuel Management
PostFlight: Don’t be Pilot #2
Features:
It’s Only About Dreams (Channel Crossed by Cluster)
Up Ship! Test Pilots Fly Goodyear Blimp
Moments in Time - Ed Yost & The First Flight
Long Jump - Russel Lucas
Destination North Pole & Beyond
A Rebirth of History- Rebuilding the Yost prototype
Review: Sally’s Great Balloon Adventure / Forgotten Weapon
PiRep: Across the Finnish Line
September/October 2010
PiBal: Honoring a Lost Friend (Homebuilt Yost Gas Replica)
Notams: Varied short news items
Crew Zone: What You Can Do About The Weather
Flight School: Focus
PostFlight: How Are We Doing - accident stats
Features:
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives
Women Aviators - Centennial Anniversary
Moments in Time - Channel Champ Crossing
Telluride, CO - 3-year flying drought ends
Prepping for Nationals - Great Lakes Regional Championship
My Name is Don Edwards - New AIBF Event Director
PiRep: 1st Radio Controlled Balloon Event
November/December 2010
PiBal: Hall of Fame Adds Three - (Kittinger, Sheppard, Fairbanks)
Notams: Varied short news items
Crew Zone: Beating Crew Complacency
Flight School: False Lift
PostFlight: Post-Postflight - refueling accident
Features:
2010 Nationals - Donner Wins Back to Back
9th Hot Air Airship Worlds
Moments in Time - Atlantic is Crossed by Double Eagle II
A Beautiful 25 Years Ballooning - Ron Behrmann Calendars
Reach for the Stars - A Decade of Caring
On the Shelf - Recommended Reading
(Come Up and Get Me, Above the Fray, Lincoln’s Flying Spies)
Pirep: A New England Trilogy - 3 new NE events
www.bfa.net
January / February 2011 Ballooning 49
 SkyLight
G
Resolution: 72 vs 300 dpi
G
reetings, and welcome to
the inaugural installment
of SkyLight. In this and
future editions, my goal with this
column will be to help photogra-
phers, enthusiasts and snapshooters
to capture the best possible images
of our highly-photogenic sport, and
to offer advice on how to showcase
these images to the world – both
online and in print.
In coming columns, we’ll dis-
cuss the photographs you’re going
to take. In this first column, let’s
review one of the most important
tips for getting the photos you have
today – whether in your camera’s
memory card, on your last roll of
film, or on your computer’s hard
drive - ready to publish.
Imagine this… you were sitting
on the bank of a pond watching a
dozen colorful balloons launching
slowly on a clear, calm morning.
Reflected in the still waters of the
pond are the colors and shapes
forming perfect symmetry. Want-
ing to share this scene with 628 of
your closest Facebook friends, you
snapped a series of photos with your
cell phone camera and uploaded
them to your Wall. When you got
home, you transferred the pictures
from your phone to your computer,
then to your HDTV. Wow! They
looked great! All your Facebook
friends loved them. Three of the
pilots appearing in the pictures
insisted that you send them to Bal-
looning for publication.
Eagerly anticipating immediate
publication, you tore through the
plastic when the next issue arrived.
Much to your dismay, none of those
wonderful photos could be found in
the magazine. What happened?
50 Ballooning
Most publications today – Bal-
looning included – use computer
software to create and layout the
pages that appear in their maga-
zines, newspapers and newsletters.
For this reason, the image you
submit for publication must be in a
digital format.
The basic building block
of a digital image is the pixel. A
single pixel is made up of different
amounts of red, green and blue
combining to create a color. When
many pixels are placed together, an
image is formed.
Think of the pixel as a unit of
information. As you pack more
information in a given amount of
space, the final product is richer.
With pixels, as you pack more pixels
per square inch, the final image has
the possibility to print more crisply
and in finer detail. In high-quality
glossy magazines like Balloon-
ing, this level of detail is of prime
importance.
The standard resolution for
printing a photograph in magazine
publishing is 300 dots per inch.
This unit of measure is often ab-
breviated ‘dpi’. A single pixel in
your digital image is the same as
one ‘dot’ in dots-per-inch magazine
resolution. For photos you wish
to submit to Ballooning or other
publications, your first priority is
to make sure your photograph has
enough pixels to print at a reason-
able size at a resolution of 300 dpi.
Many of the photos published
in Ballooning are printed at up to 7
inches on the long side. A full page
photo is 8-1/2”x11”. Doing the
math, a 5”x7” image printed at 300
dpi must have at least 1500 pixels
on the short side, and 2100 pixels
by paul deBerjeois
on the long side.
5”x7”:
5”@ 300 dpi = 5 x 300 = 1500
7”@ 300 dpi = 7 x 300 = 2100
Full page:
8.5”@ 300 dpi = 8.5 x 300 = 2550
11”@ 300 dpi = 11 x 300 = 3300
Your camera’s image sensor
must be at least 3 megapixels to
get close to producing a 5x7 photo
at 300 dpi. A 5 megapixel camera
is better for 5x7 work. Don’t even
think of printing a photo at full-
page size unless your camera has at
least an 8 megapixel image sensor.
Your digital camera cannot be
programmed to produce a reso-
lution of 300 dpi automatically.
The size of the image sensor is the
determining factor for the maxi-
mum pixel size of the image. But
most cameras do have the ability to
reduce the overall size of the im-
age captured. You might use these
smaller settings to conserve space
on the memory card or to produce
an image file small enough to fit in
an email.
When taking digital photo-
graphs intended for publication,
always use the maximum image
size available on the camera. If the
publication’s editor has to reduce
a large image to fit a certain space,
image quality will not suffer. The
quality loss of the missing detail is
not apparent because everything –
including that detail - gets smaller.
The reverse is not the case - image
quality degrades quickly when tiny
images have to be enlarged. This is
because new data must be ‘in-
vented’ to approximate what would
www.bfa.net

have been there if the original im-
age were larger. Editors don’t like
to enlarge images and usually won’t
do it. Many tiny, but otherwise
wonderful photos never reached
an audience because of how they
degraded in enlargement.
Related to the overall image
size is the amount of JPEG com-
pression applied. Most cameras have
settings labeled ‘Fine’, ‘Normal’,
‘Standard’ or ‘Basic’. Image com-
pression involves another trade-off.
Less compression creates a larger
file on the memory card, but offers
higher image quality. Use the ‘Fine’
setting whenever possible. (We’ll
discuss more about JPEG and RAW
files in another article.)
Now – back to our question
about that fantastic reflection pic-
ture you took with your cell phone
camera. Why didn’t those images
- images that looked great at home
- not make the cut for publication?
As before, the answer is found in
the numbers.
Images viewed on TV or
computer displays usually appear
at reduced resolutions of 72 or 96
dpi. Old-fashioned picture tube
televisions display their pictures at
a size equivalent to a 640 pixel by
January / February 2011
480 pixel image. That 55” 1080p
HDTV you crave has a display of
1920 pixels by 1080 pixels. Your
great-looking 24” computer moni-
tor probably displays no more than
1600 by 1200 pixels – about the
size of images produced by most
cell phones. Photos on Facebook
display at less than 800 x 600 –
even if the photo you uploaded is
larger. Apple’s beautiful iPad screen
is 1024 x 768 with a resolution
of 132 dpi. Newer laptop displays
are in the range of 1200 x 800 at
96dpi.
This is why most cell phone
pictures can look great on your
laptop or on Facebook, but aren’t
good enough for magazine publish-
ing. There just aren’t enough pixels
in a cell phone photo to produce a
300 dpi image at a reasonable size.
Since 4 out of 5 people were
overwhelmed by all those numbers,
here is a quick summary of the tips
for getting your existing photos
published in Ballooning…
•Send only those images taken
with a 5MP camera or better for
small photos you want to submit.
Send only those images taken with
an 8MP camera minimum for
medium size to full-page photos.
Identical photos at 300 dpi (l) and 72
dpi (r). Both are identical in size at
2.569 inches by 4 inches. The photo at left
is a file size of just over 4 megabytes but
at that quality it could easily be enlarged
many times over with no loss of quality.
The photo at right is a file size of just over
150 kilobytes and as such does not even
print clearly at this small size.
For publication, the photo at right would
have to be reduced and its resolution
increased in Photoshop or similar editing
software. Even so, its useable size would
be no more than 1x1.5 inches.
To be safe, always shoot at the highest
resolution your camera will allow. Any
photo can easily be reduced for emailing
or posting to Facebook, etc.
Images taken with anything less
than a 3.2MP camera are not likely
to be published.
•In the camera’s setup menu,
select the largest pixel size and the
least amount of compression avail-
able for best image quality.
•Since the image files produced
by 8MP+ cameras are relatively
large, send only one image per
email when submitting photos to
Ballooning.
That wraps the first chapter on
what will be a fun and informative
column on balloon photography.
Let me know what you thought of
this article, and let me know what
future topics would interest you
most. Clear skies, gentle breezes
and soft landings!
Ballooning 51
 SnapShots
member submitted photos

Seeing Double
Homerville, OH
Photo by Christopher DiMichelle

Do you have an outstanding

photo of your favorite balloon,
a memorable flight, or exciting
festival? Send your contribu-
tions to:

SnapShots
BFA Publications
Glen Moyer, Editor
2585 Barron Road
Keithville, LA 71047

Email digital images to:

editor@bfa.net

Digital images must be high Blast Off!

resolution. Photo by Scott McDaniel
Boise, ID
All photos become the property
of BFA and will not be returned.
Please include date, time and
place where photo was taken
plus photographer’s name.

52 Ballooning www.bfa.net
 Balloon Classic Glow Shadow PeopleColorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs, CO Photo by Judy Holt
Photo by Paul D. deBergeois

Page/Lake Powell, AZ
Photo byKent Barnes

Photo courtesy Carlos Zuniga

Miami, FL

January / February 2011 Ballooning 53

 PartingShot
photo by paul d debergeois

A Tribute to Lost Friends

Farewell Richard and Carol!

54 Ballooning www.bfa.net
 The Gold Standard
of

Balloon Insurance

30 YEARS
1981-2011

Our mission is to Protect you;

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow!

IMC Balloon Agency

email: bmiller@imcins.com • www.imcins.com • 800-783-5963 • Fax: 952-746-4858
WORLD CHAMPIONS!
When they raised the championship
flags above the podium at the 2010

World Championships one banner was

universal; Lindstrand X-Racers stood

1-2-3 on top of the world.

Lindstrand Balloons USA would like

to congratulate all the competitors
Johnny Petrehn
World Champion for a fine performance and especially
USA
Nick Donner Team USA and our new 2-time World
2nd Place
USA Champion Johnny Petrehn.
Stefan Zeberli
3rd Place
Switzerland
When you’re ready for a balloon with
performance, reliability and customer

service that’s number 1 in the world

contact the factory or your local

Lindstrand dealer.

Nick, Johnny, and Stefan salute the

Lindstrand X-Series!

Lindstrand Balloons
On Top of the World!
Lindstrand Balloons USA • 11440 Dandar Street • Galena, IL 61036
Ph (815) 777-6006 • Fax (815) 777-6004 • www.lindstrand.com • Email: LBUSA@aol.com
January / February 2011 Ballooning 57