Up, Up and Away by Rita Cook

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Recently, a British business tycoon left Morocco in a hot air balloon stocked with such amenities as caviar and a microwave oven. He was in the news after attempting to make the first non-stop hot air balloon flight around the world. His was not the first attempt, however. For the past several decades the sport of hot air ballooning has taken on an exciting pastime in both America and England. The British tycoon, Richard Branson, made his attempt in a 180 foot Global Challenger, the trip ended the day after takeoff after reaching 30,000 feet. Technical problems were discovered which resulted in an unscheduled landing. His enthusiasm however, demonstrates what several hot air balloonists this year will endeavor to accomplish, "to claim the last great aviation record left on earth."

Branson's endeavor this year, as well as a Chicagoan hot air balloonist, Steve Fossett's attempt, to do what no man has done before, is the extreme in the sport of hot air ballooning. Most balloon enthusiasts are happy to settle with competitions, rallies and mass ascensions which take place yearly in the United States.

"It's a chance to see the world in an entirely different way than you've ever seen it before," notes one balloonist. It is also an unpredictable sport. There is no control of the hot air balloon and balloonists may find themselves soaring three miles in the air, then ascending across the street from where they departed, two hours later. The balloon pilot cannot slow down, speed up, steer or predict the balloon's path; the balloon is constantly under the influence of climatic conditions. Only the wind knows for sure where the balloon will end up. For the sports enthusiast, these conditions are both challenging and exhilarating.

The hot air balloon leaves no trail of smoke, deafening engine blast or vapor trail in its wake. It flies with the air instead of through it. That alone is the hook for many hot air balloonists. Adventuresome people by nature, they find ballooning has an air of dignity and a challenge unnamed, as they move through the air, drifting, aware that one false move can turn their balloon into a toy for the wind to play with.

Hot air balloons have changed in the years since their popularity began. One of the changes is the fact that lighter-than-air gas is rarely used anymore in today's modern balloons. Instead, hot air balloons, made of nylon or polyester fabric, use airborne heaters which can manipulate the balloon to ascend or descend by increasing or decreasing the supply of heat.

I learned it doesn't take long to get hooked on the sport of hot air ballooning myself, as I journeyed to the Wisconsin Dells one rainy Saturday afternoon to see a mass ascension. The interested novice can easily get started by attending one of the many ascensions or rallies held yearly. The biggest one of all is held every October in Albuquerque, N.M. Just watching the balloons, hearing the hiss of the propane burners, and staring endlessly at the different shapes, sizes and colors urges the sightseer to observe a little closer until, in many cases, they've become a part of the ground crew.

Ballooning is a team sport. From the ground crew volunteers to those manning the balloon, everyone is a part of the action. As the ground crew runs to catch the balloon, wondering where the balloon's next unpredictable landing site will be, the crew in the balloon watches with anticipation.

Most balloonists enjoy the sport in the cool morning hours when the air is calm and stable. A good pilot will have some control of the air he will fly in on any given morning. For example, surface air may be from 180 degrees at three knots while winds at 300 degrees are at 30 knots. Therefore, selecting a desired altitude will help the balloonists determine the flight path on some level. Newcomers to the sport may find themselves in for a rough ride in the beginning though, before learning the delicate control of altitude -- but then that's part of the fun.

Like other sportsmen, balloonists will eventually involve themselves in some sort of competitive events and races to test their skills. There is a yearly National Championship Competition, which, in turn determines membership for the World Championship Competition. The Balloon Races, as they are commonly called, are not really races at all, since they do not test for speed or include a finish line.

Instead, these races are a test of the balloon pilot's skills in flying the balloon in the conditions and the air currents. The more popular races include: The Hare and the Hound Race, which is a version of the English Fox Hunt; The Convergent Navigational Trajectile Event in the South, called the Tumbleweed Drop; Black Jack; and the Great Big Bender. All these races are designed to test the balloonists abilities in the air.

As long as people have a yearning for competition, adventure and challenge, hot air ballooning will remain a constant draw to the adventurer. Whether it be a trip around the world to set a world record or simply participation in a race or rally on a cool, clear day, hot air ballooning is here to stay.