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Another first for me in aviation, my first time up in a lighter than air craft and I was even given the opportunity to fly the balloon, under close supervision of course. Another great opportunity made available to me by being a part of the Flabob Aviation Preparatory Academy and the Wathen Foundation. |
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Lighter Than Air Flight
7/17/2010
During the school year we had a special guest come in to teach us about hot air balloons, in our Aviation Seminar class. During that class our special guest told us that he would try and arrange to bring use up in his hot air balloon. On my third week of summer vacation, I had to go to Flabob Airport to pick up some papers for a drum workshop I was going to take. When I got to the airport office Kathy Rohm was talking to a man that I knew I had met but I could not remember who he was. The man introduced himself, to me as Gary Eaton at which point I remembered that he was the special guest we had at our hot air balloon class. We started talking and Gary told me that, at the next Flabob Airport Open House, he would be giving tethered hot air balloon rides. I asked Gary if he needed help setting up, for the rides, and he told me that my help would be appreciated.
My dad and I arrived at the airport at 6:00am, on the morning of the hot air balloon rides, to help Gary set up. When we finished setting up all of his posters, my dad and I got to sit down and watch the hot air balloon get set up.
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When the hot air balloon was ready to fly they started bringing people up in small groups. Near the end of the flights, Gary wanted me and my dad to go up, so we got in the hot air balloon basket. Once in, Gary instructed me to take control of the burner and told me how to fire the burner, by holding down the leaver and counting the number of seconds he instructed me to run the burner. We were ready to go and Gary started calling out the number of seconds to fire the burning. It took a few bursts but we finally lifted off and away we went.
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Gary took us up pretty high and kept us up for quite a bit longer than the other rides he had been giving, explaining different things about how the hot air balloon worked and answering any questions I asked. We set the hot air balloon down gently and I thanked Gary for teaching me how to work the burner and fly the hot air balloon. Gary told me that he only lets the people that show an interest in ballooning to fly. As we walked away I realized that I was the only one that Gary let fly the hot air balloon that day.
After all the flights were over I stayed around and help Gary take down his exhibits while the crew broke down the hot air balloon.
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