Hot Air Balloon Flight Record - 14Jun2008
Gerry and Mark

Well, it's been a long dry spell for ballooning. I've missed a couple of good opportunities for weekend flights, but there just haven't been that many times. (Freedom to fly on weekdays would help!)

The forecast didn't start well at the beginning of the week, but improved as we got closer. The forecast rain moved to late Saturday evening and the winds aloft became light an variable for the morning.

Finally got our neighbor Gerry and son Mark out ballooning. Rudi was also at the airport with his tie-dyed balloon. Rudi took off first with me in close pursuit, but Rudi climbed higher and moved NE while I stayed lower and headed SW to check out what looked like a full size RC airplane tied down on the field. The wings and cockpit were covered by a tarp, but it didn't look like there was any space for a person.

We eventually climbed to head SE and eventually dropped lower around 117 to turn toward the old DEC Mill in Maynard. Rudi climbed even higher and found a straight S wind to cross over our path. The band that moved him NE was gone now.

We headed toward the Mill for a while, but it got harder and harder to avoid turning south. First we gave up on the Mill and headed toward any one of the three schools at 117 and 27. The turn S continued and we missed all three. Now we are headed across part of the Fort Devens Sudbury Training Annex, a large expanse of trees and no roads. In the mean time, Rudi is also in the middle of the Annex, heading for the Fire Training Academy.

The right turn continued so we missed the soccer fields along Hudson road, but with a little careful navigation, we landed on the new cul-de-sac just south of the road. Rudi managed to find the Fire Academy.