Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta: liftoff

[crazyshirtdude]

i just moved to Rio Rancho and experience my first baloon take off today check out my video. now i know why we moved here. Now we wonder why everyone doesn't live here. great video!

[hotairballoonfanatic]

that was an awesome launch "holy cow"

[mutt300]

they relly suck at filmin at the 1rst part

[shusuke22]

I live in albuquerque, I go to every balloon festa, i crew for 2 balloons, I have been in them 20 times, and I was there

[wingsfan4ev]

great job i love balloons cant wait to ride in one

[jetrovay]

BT balloon, representing Great Britain's crap telecom co.

[dninness]

I know the balloon owner. This was one of the competitive events where they all take off en-masse upwind of the Fiesta grounds to do the "key grab" events. The guy taking video is one of our co-workers, and it was his first time in a balloon. Its pretty intense to take off as part of several hundred balloons all trying to shoot for a half-dozen or so fixed targets in the middle of the big field. Now imagine its your first time in a balloon as well. Yikes!

[ksbear2]

What happened on the launch that caused so many "holy cows"?  Or was this your videographer's first experience as an aeronaut?

[micfishevyt]

It was probably because they had to climb really fast to clear the balloons in front of them.

[ksbear2]

On re-watching this, I see what you mean. If I remember correcttly, didn't this pilot (I recognize the balloon - I crew for one of the special shape balloons) grab and lose one of the envelopes last year? I think so. I hadn't realized at first that they were launching from the pits north of the launch field. Not controlled like launching off the field when the zebras tell you when you can or cannot launch.

[micfishevyt]

Yes, he did. Watch the movie by this same poster "Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta: Key Grab." There were a lot of dropped envelopes that day (see also: "Friday the 13th at Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta" video). It was an unlucky day for the pilots.