COME FLY WITH ME

Looking back across the National Museum at some of the balloons just lifting off during the National Balloon Festival in Canberra. Photo: LS Rachel Irving

View up to the burners and into the envelope of the ADF balloon.

L to R: Ground crew FSGT Lyn Clements, WO Geoff Dorward, pilot FLTLT Greg Ferguson and ground crew WO Steven Mountstephen.

Lake Burley Griffin makes a picturesque scene as the other balloons make their way into the Canberra skies. Photos: LS Rachel Irving

Drifting above a gaggle of balloons waiting to take off in front of Old Parliament House, Canberra. Balloons came from around the world to take part in the National Balloon Festival, including the giant frog.

LPG is used to inflate the balloon after ambient air has been driven into the mouth of the balloon via a 5-8hp motor-driven propeller. Once the burners have started the balloon erects in a matter of moments. Photos: LS Rachel Irving

By LS Rachel Irving

In the blink of an eye we are away, up up and away that is. On a beautiful autumn morning in the nation’s capital I am gliding above the city in the RAAF-piloted ADF balloon and it is magnificent.

It is quiet, it is still and there is a feeling of absolute calm and serenity as we drift away towards Black Mountain.

My pilot, former AP-3C Orion pilot FLTLT Greg Ferguson, assures me that his job is the greatest in the RAAF and I am inclined to agree.

The worries of life are left behind the minute you leave the ground, even though I have to admit the thought of being suspended in the air in just a cane basket did give me a moment’s hesitation.

Today we would be flying at 400 feet, leaving from Old Parliament House and tracking north-west, our direction determined by the flight of a small test balloon, which is released to roughly calculate speed and direction.

“It’s not the most technological way of flying but it’s always peaceful up here,” FLTLT Ferguson said.

There are two envelopes (the large inflatable part) used by FLTLT Ferguson. One is the ADF balloon we are flying today which has HMAS Anzac, an Australian Light Armoured Vehicle and an F/A-18 Hornet on it. The other is purely an Air Force envelope.

Flying as part of Canberra’s week-long National Balloon Festival, there are plenty of other balloons around, some more unusual than others including a giant frog, a Sherrin football and a house, making spectacular viewing.

It is a surreal feeling to be floating above people’s houses and being able to peer in. It makes you feel like an intruder or perhaps part of a dream as you drift above while people are waking, bringing in the paper and saying goodbye for the day. You, meanwhile, look on as though you are invisible. It is only when people call out “good morning” to you and wave, that you realise they can see you too.

The only interruption to your peaceful flight is the occasional blast of heat from the burners, which burn LPG at a rate of 1-1.5 litres per minute, depending on conditions. This burn rate allows for a flight time of around three hours.

The burners also bring out the dogs, who bark madly as the balloon floats above. FLTLT Ferguson tells me that there is a theory that the main burners create a high pitch frequency that we humans can’t hear but dogs can.

“We have a liquid burner and the theory there is that if you burn the pure liquid you get a less efficient flame but it’s quieter than the main burner. When we fly over houses and livestock we use the liquid burner and for that reason we call it a cow burner.”

The downside to the liquid burner, which doesn’t disturb the dogs, is that the pilot has to use twice as much gas to achieve the same results.

The balloons, which are used primarily as an ADF Public Relations tool, are used throughout each year at a variety of events, including the V8 Supercars, Brisbane Riverfire and in towns such as Burke.

But it’s the charity events that FLTLT Ferguson says are the most rewarding.

“The best experience would be doing the Camp Quality week each year before Christmas at HMAS Creswell. This is for kids with cancer and we take them up each day. That is the most rewarding thing that I have done. Things like the V8 Supercar racing are great to go to but they are not as rewarding as charity events or the small towns where people have never seen a balloon before.”

Flying a balloon is completely weather-dependent and so lends itself to frustrations when the weather conditions are not conducive to flying.

If the balloon is to be tethered (tied to the ground), then FLTLT Ferguson tells me that the wind speed can only be around seven knots, otherwise the balloon can end up on it’s side and that is too dangerous.

“Flying in the country you probably don’t want to go up over 10 knots and in the city not much more than eight knots of wind. The reason for that is the higher the ground speed you have when you’re touching down the greater the landing area you need and that has to be a consideration in the city,” he said.

To get the balloon off the ground, FLTLT Ferguson has a ground crew of reservists from 28 SQN to help. Today we have been assisted by WO Geoff Dorward, FSGT Lyn Clements and WO Steve Mountstephen, who have been busily tracking us in their vehicle. They track the balloon both visually as well as keeping UHF (line of sight) communications with the pilot.

The team help inflate the balloon and are there the moment we land to deflate and pack the balloon. Of note, WO Dorward left full time service in the RAAF in 1986 and together with his Reserve time, is now in his 45th year of service.

Alas my time above the capital is coming to an end. FLTLT Ferguson raises the balloon to search for a landing spot and sees an oval ahead. As we touch down, a throng of school children appear from nowhere, thrilled that a balloon has landed near their school.

One of them tells me that “this is WAY better than school”. The looks on their faces confirm that FLTLT Greg Ferguson really does have the best job in the RAAF.

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