Balloon baptism

By FLTLT Terry Gordon

The Air Force’s most experienced hot ballooning pilot, SQNLDR Bob Cook, instructs new pilot SQNLDR Shane Thompson on the art of hot air flight during blustery conditions at the championships.

Photo by FLTLT Terry Gordon

The crew fires up the RAAF balloon at night in Mildura.

Photo by LAC Bruce Brown

Members of Force 10 band get the crowd moving to the music during the World Hot Air Balloon Championships.

Photo by LAC Bruce Brown

Force 10 band members, left to right, LAC Michael Fraser, SGT Pete McCracken, LAC John Zappa, LAC Jeff Cause and CPL Greg Strong entertain people at the Mildura mall.

Photo by LAC Bruce Brown

Hundreds of balloons attended the event, which is held every two years in different places around the world.

Photo by Geoff White

It was a case of throwing new Air Force balloon pilot Squadron Leader Shane Thompson in the deep end as he took command of the balloon for the first time at the 16th World Hot Air Balloon Championships in Mildura.

SQNLDR Thompson tethered the Air Force balloon for three hours during the opening ceremony in front of thousands of spectators.

“It was certainly a baptism of fire,” SQNLDR Thompson said. “I didn’t expect to have so many people watching my first lesson.” The opening ceremony of the championship – held from June 26 to July 3 – could have been mistaken for an Air Force open day with a generous contribution of Air Force assets participating.

The audience was blown away with the sky-high antics of the balloon – glowing like a lantern as its burners were lit – a vibrant fireworks and an impressive F-111 dump and burn. A full house of 12,000 people converged on Mildura Recreation Reserve to take part in the opening celebrations.

The Air Force balloon from No. 28 (City of Canberra) Squadron was centre stage for most of the night. Flight Lieutenant Mitch Roggenkamp, of Central Flying School, gave a spectacular Roulette solo display.

The Air Force Central Band provided a majority of the night’s entertainment to the large crowd with an exciting show by the Force 10 ensemble. A Hercules provided a platform for the Army’s Red Berets who precisely hit their mark.

The finale was a dump and burn by Flight Lieutenant Andrew Frost, of No. 1 Squadron. 12,000 jaws dropped as the Pig scorched across the sky.

“Gee, look how fast it’s going!” one person said to his mate. “You would too if your backside was on fire!” was the reply. The Air Force Balloon participated in a number of activities, including the Fox and Hare, a competition in which one balloon, the hare, sets sail and lands and others attempt to land as close as possible.

The Air Force team acted as the hare and provided a challenging landing location between two vineyards on the outskirts of Mildura. The result looked like a paratrooper landing on D-Day as more than 30 balloons came down in the area.

Sergeant Justin Galbraith, of Maritime Patrol Systems Program Office, entertained children throughout the week with his remote control hot air balloon, piloted by Toy Story characters Buzz Lightyear and Woody. The next championships will be in Japan in 2006.

Balloon Gallery

 

 

 

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