Another WFFC Balloon story...

[gemini 0]

We had to get up at 4AM to catch the flight to Rantoul from Houston and ending up in a massive traffic jam coming out of Chicago.

Arriving at the WFFC we quickly checked-in and manifested for the next mornings balloon flight. "Be there no later than 5:30AM" we were told. Ughhh...another early morning!

Stopped by the dz.com tent and it was empty, so went and made a few jumps...bi-plane and Skyvan.

It was sooo hot in Rantoul. Almost like being in Houston. We crashed early with promises to check things out the next night.

With coffees in hand flash, skytrucker, and deezee watched the balloon chase trucks arrive with their pilots and baloons. It didn't take long for the crews to say "Here hold this, or Stand here like this for a few minutes, or help me hold this basket down!"

The balloons were very colorful for so early in the morning, and they were much bigger than we thought. Very quickly the pilots were yelling for people to jump into the basket because the balloons were beginning to strain to escape from our grasp.

And the first load was off .... four colorful balloons agains a bright blue morning sky! It was so quiet as they lifted away. The only sounds were the periodic roar from the burners, and from jumpers yelling at those of us on the ground.

We jumped in the chase van and followed the balloon out into the countryside.

Ummhhh looks like we may have a little problem. Miles and miles of corn that looks to be 5 or 6 feet tall. Very few landing areas. The van driver tells us to make sure to tell the pilot where we plan to land so we can be found and that we are lucky we are on the second load since we will be quickly picked up. The guys on the first load will have to wait until after we launch. "Oh yeah", the driver says "when the balloon lands make sure you are geared up and run to the basket. The pilot won't be able to hold the balloon on the ground for long!"

As we follow the balloon, we see the first jumpers deploy. They sure look like they are spread out all over the countryside!

The van driver is talking to the pilot by radio. They are trying to find a suitable landing area. Each time a spot is located, it is to close to power lines or trees or buildings. Finally the pilot spots a grass road through a soybean field. He expertly drops in over the power lines and at about 10 feet off the ground the van slides to a stop and we are told to run to the basket. The basket is sliding across the ground as we reach it and climb in...and we are off!

Looking back at the van we can see that we crushed about 10 square feet of soybeans next to the road. The pilot says that was a great landing and take off.

We drift lazily upward. Again the quiet prevades. We hear the morning birds, and cars passing below.

Now the nervousness begins to set in. How can we land in the small areas that appear to be suitable? Miles and miles of corn and soybeans broken only by a one lane road and a few farm houses. At 5k the pilot asks how we are going to exit. "Can we all go at once?" "Sure" he says, "but I will have to put the balloon in a rapid decent to counter your weight." We go to 6k and he asks if we have picked out our landing area. "See the green field with the wide brown border? That is where we will land...in the brown area." "Ok guys. Anytime you're ready".

We climb onto the basket. It seems awfully fragile. An eternity later, we hear "ready, set, go!" and we all step off.

"Oh $%&# there's no air!" Our hearts are in our throats as we fall with no air resistance. Finally the air is moving faster and faster till it reaches a familiar roar.

3.5k and time to deploy. Where are the other guys? Ok I see them all, where the \#$%& is that field. Ummhhh the brown looks like very tall grass with little round holes spaced evenly around it...is that a fence?

Alternate landing area seems like a good idea. What about that patch that is parallel to the one lane road? Power lines are on the opposite side, wind seems to be running parallel to the road, and I can make the patch.

That's funny, I see flash land in the same patch followed by skytrucker. We all had the same thoughts. I follow them in to an easy stand up landing. We all yell and high five! The adrenaline rush is fantastic.

Where is deezee? We hear him yelling from the other side of the road. He didn't see the tall grass and landed in the first spot. Flared for the top of the grass and fell the rest of the way. He's wet from the morning dew, but laughing about it.

The chase van slides to a stop and we jump in as he spins the tires and takes off after the balloon. After a few minutes we find the balloon in a small pasture between some power lines and trees.

We jump over a fence and grab the basket as the balloon begins to collapse.

A state agricultural agent drives up and asks the pilot if he has permission to land on the property. "No, but I thought it was better here than in the corn." "You need to get out of there" she says. "The landowner is not a nice man, and the guy taking pictures over there is his son!"

We break a record for folding and packing the balloon with the help of several other jumpers from another balloon who decided we were in the best landing area.

We are 15 miles from Rantoul. As we get back to our starting point, we notice it is 8:07 AM and the first aircraft loads are getting ready to take off.

Looks like the start of a great day at the WFFC!

Blue skies,

Jim