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2016 Lincoln Balloon Fest
LINCOLN DAILY NEWS
August 30, 2016
Page 5
By Angela Reiners
T
hursday evening’s weather conditions were close
to the same as one year ago when the Lincoln
Balloon Festival sponsored Media Night. It was again,
hot and humid with too light and variable winds.
Last year on this night, the hot air balloons simply
floated slowly from one end of the airport to the other.
This year was a bit better.
Concerns for meteorological conditions that could
quickly lead to storms, and light winds that would not
move balloons very far quickly, lent to strategizing an
alternate plan on this evening. The six hot air balloons
set to launch from the airport were sent away, not too
far, to remote locations to fly into the airport.
LDN’s Angela Reiners rode in the balloon named ‘Sun
Glow’ piloted by Sherry Ireland with help from Jim
Ireland.
Balloonists launched from north of the Parkway
and west of Nicholson Road. As the balloons slowly
drifted southeast toward the airport, occupants were
treated to a leisurely view of cornfields and the Mayfair
Subdivision.
Sherry Ireland explained how different altitudes help
steer the balloons in different directions. Motion
is driven by the prevailing wind direction. As the
balloon reached altitudes between 150 and 250 feet,
she was able to steer it towards the airport.
As Sun Glow soared above the cornfields, treetops,
and rooftops, landmarks such as the courthouse, water
tower, and bottle factory along with several businesses
along Kickapoo Street were easy to spot.
Reiners noted that looking out over the city rather
than straight down was the best way to keep any fear
of heights at bay. She enjoyed the calm winds saying it
felt like floating on air.
Once the balloon landed at the Logan County
Airport, the crew deflated, packed, and loaded up the
equipment in about 25 minutes. Putting the 90,000
cubit foot balloon back in its storage bag is a bit like
packing up a huge sleeping bag. The hard work of the
flight crew makes it all go very quickly.
Balloons
once again
grace the
skies over
Lincoln
Photo by Lisa Ramlow
Continued
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