Riding on Hot Air
Consider the act of ballooning and immediately images of romance, couples and champagne begin to percolate; a balloon even looks romantic, like a colourful bubble with a picnic basket attached. So popular are balloon-inspired marriage proposals, ballooning companies offer proposal packages and YouTube is a-flood with balloon-themed weddings, proposals and honeymoons.
So what is it about the hot air balloon that brings out the soppy side of humans? Enthusiastic balloonatic Grant McHerron believes it’s magic. “When flying a balloon, you’re moving with the wind so it’s amazingly still and peaceful. You only feel a breeze when you move into a new wind layer. The views can be amazing: mist in valleys, animals (especially ‘roos), your balloon’s reflection in a pond or lake as you slowly fly over it.”
As in all forms of flight, the task of the pilot is to make the journey seamless for the passenger without showcasing the less glamorous side of flight: the workload.
Doing it
“Flying a balloon
