The Allen American (Allen, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 14, Ed. 1 Monday, September 8, 1980 Page: 5 of 14
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Ready to launch
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Fans push cold air into the balloon and burner heats it
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Story
and
photos
by
Michele
RANKED THIRD in the nation in helium
balloons, Jim will travel to Battle Creek, Michigan
in January 1981 to compete in the national hot air
ACCORDING TO Jim Marshall, owner of the
Academy, there are 3 basics to the operation of a
Monday, September 8, 1980-ALLEN AMERICAN - Page 5
Man's first flight experience revived
several come from the church and take a ride, but
only one married here at the airfield,” Jim said.
According to Jim, the price of a balloon can run
from $9,000 to $30,000. The price varies with op-
tions and the pattern design you choose.
IF BY NOW you have decided that this just
might be your thing, there are several ways to get
into the sport.
“Anyone can come out and watch us. The only ad-
mission may be that you get a pair of gloves stuck
on you and put to work.”
The Chamber of Commerce in Plano will be
hosting a hot air balloon rally in October. There will
be approximately 50 balloons from the area to lift
off, according to Marshall.
Another way to get involved, is through the Hot
Air Balloon Club. It meets the third Saturday of
every month at 3 p.m. in the Schimelpfenig Library
on Custer Road.
“Anyone who even enjoys being around balloons
is invited to the meetings or even join,” Jim adds.
Hot air ballooning is considered a sport by many.
1
MARSHALL SAYS the best weather conditions
are just after sunrise or 2-3 hours before sunset and
with winds no more than 8 m.p.h.
“We fly 7 days a week, all year ‘round, weather
permitting.”
The Federal Aviation Administration is responsi-
ble for the licensing of balloon pilots.
A balloon pilot certificate is earned after passing
the FAA written examination, logging a specified
number of hours in a balloon, making a solo flight,
making a flight to altitude, and passing a flight test.
To Jim and his wife, Haverly, ballooning is not
only a sport, but it is their way of life.
“If I quite flying baloons. I’d have to go to work
and I’d much rather be doing this,” Jim says.
Kitty Schwartz, an airline stewardess, is someone
who has admired the balloons from afar until last
week.
“I have been wanting to learn to fly, but wanted
to take a ride before I committed all that money to
something I wasn’t going to enjoy,” she says.
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balloon competition.
According to Jim, this is the first time the na-
tional competition has been held in the United
States.
Hot air ballooning is becoming more and more
popular. It is not limited to the young executive or
the older pilot. It’s for anyone who has ever had the
desire to go wherever the wind would take them.
balloon: inflation, flight and landing.
Inflation begins on the ground after the balloon
unfolds from its pack like a colorful snake. A por-
table blower pushes cold air into the balloon, then
when it is about half inflated, the flight burner is ig-
nited and the air is heated until the balloon is
buoyant.
The flight begins when the balloon leaves the
ground. “You don’t really have any control over
your rate of speed or direction. You just go with and
where the wind goes,” Marshall says.
“The pilot does have a little control over direction
by changing altitude. The wind direction varies with
altitude, so the pilot does have some ability to alter
his or her direction,” he adds.
Landing is a little bit more tricky. It is ac-
complished by cruising at a low altitude and then
finding the most unobstucted field in which to set
down.
Unlike a helicopter where you hover above the lan-
ding sight or a plane that touches down, a balloon’s
final stop comes about by what sounds like a very
rough method—dragging along the ground.
It seems man has always had a desire to soar with
the eagles. As long as he could get off the ground, it
really made no difference how far or how high he
got.
Over the centuries, man has continued the quest
for the best mode of flight, trying to achieve height,
speed and beauty.
The Ballooning Academy of Texas, located
southwest of Allen on Farm Road 2478 at the Dallas
North Airport, is one institution that continues the
quest of flight.
Started in France nearly 200 years ago, hot air
ballooning was man’s first successful flight ex-
perience.
The Montgolfier brothers were inspired to design
the first hot air balloon after discovering they could
float bags of hot air over their kitchen fire. They
launched the first unmanned flight in 1783.
Later that year, two other Frenchmen performed
the first manned flight and thus began “man’s
romance with flight.”
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It s a time to relax and get above the confusion of
the city. The wind often blows from the south and
brings balloons over the Allen area and surrounding
countryside. Balloonists have come down numerous
times this summer in fields near the Allen area.
The trip is quiet and peaceful as the balloon
travels wherever the breeze may take the craft and
its pioneers.
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KITTY HAS since decided to make the committ-
ment.
“Ballooning is no game of solitare. You just don’t
do it by yourself,” Jim says.
It usually takes at least 3 people to inflate a
balloon, more if winds are above 8 m.p.h. It is prefer-
red to have at least 2 people in the balloon during a
flight.
And for real excitment, the balloon academy of-
fers a champagne flight for two. The flight consists
of an approximately one hour flight ending with a
bottle of champagne to toast the memorable occa-
sion. L a
The cost—a mere $200. n.s
Let it never be said that a hot air balloon ride is dl
not romantic.
“We had one couple married out here in the field ,
and then take a ride after the ceremony. We’ve had
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Camper, Buddy. The Allen American (Allen, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 14, Ed. 1 Monday, September 8, 1980, newspaper, September 8, 1980; Allen, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1423096/m1/5/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Allen Public Library.