As a balloonist, there are certain goals that you have to tick off in your "ballooning life": crossing the Alps in a balloon or landing in the same place where you took off (you can't steer a balloon!). I have achieved both of these goals, and now all that's left is to participate in the world's largest balloon festival in Albuquerque, the Mecca of balloonists. After undertaking various balloon trips to balloon festivals in France, Turkey, and Qatar over the past two years, it was now time for my next big balloon trip. On October 2, the plane took off for the USA, where the Augsburg Zoo balloon "Urs" was already on its way to the USA by air freight. Our ballooning season here in Augsburg ended at the end of September, but our highlight was yet to come.
Update October 13— The Balloon Fiesta is over, and we were able to complete all 11 balloon rides! What fantastic weather! We were not disappointed.
Our report on the URS-Ballon.de website with more photos and a longer report:
11 days & 11 balloon rides in Albuquerque – A long-held dream comes true
Update September 26 – The Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper reports on our trip! Read it here!
To the USA with the Augsburg Zoo Balloon
Up to 600 hot air balloons and more than 100 special shapes will now take to the skies in Albuquerque for the 52nd time. And we're going to be there. My Swiss co-pilot Roman Müller and I will be traveling to the USA from October 5 to 13, 2024, for the "Woodstock of balloonists." A long-cherished dream is coming true! We are one of four German balloon teams that have been accepted at the most important ballooning event for balloonists. Because you have to apply to be there! Only the most beautiful balloons – without advertising slogans, of course – are accepted.
Report and photos of our balloon rides in Albuquerque
"Embrace the Sky" was the motto of this year's event. And we were not disappointed. Over the nine days of the event, plus one day before and one day after, we were able to take to the skies 11 times. All of the balloon flights were very challenging due to the large number of balloons and the size of the flight area. I am glad that the equipment remained intact and we had no incidents, even though some landings required a great deal of skill. Albuquerque is three times the size of Munich and there is not much space to land. Several times we landed in the middle of the city on sports fields or in parks, and twice in the middle of a residential area.
It was a great feeling to be in the air with several hundred other balloonists. And even on the ground, the American ballooning community was really fun! Lots of friendly like-minded people, nice conversations, and a few barbecues and beers later, we can say: it was worth it and it was a great experience. Now let's let a few pictures speak for themselves. We're currently sorting through them...
Some special balloon rides are worth mentioning:
1. Balloon ride for orientation
The very first balloon flight on the Friday before the event gave us an idea of what to expect. In addition to the approximately 30 commercial balloonists from Rainbow Rider, another 50 or so balloons took off with us for an initial orientation flight. The launch was windless, and once in the air, we were able to fly a beautiful circle over the launch site by changing altitude. We almost landed back at the launch site after just under an hour, but we passed just north of it. That would have been the first box – landing back where we started! We landed directly in the Sandia Pueblo reservation north of the site. The sheriff of the Native American reservation was already waiting for us there. After filling out a form, we were allowed to pack up the balloon.
2. Balloon ride towards the Rio Grande River
On Saturday, October 5, the first balloon flight officially took off. After the pilot briefing at 6 a.m. and the subsequent US national anthem, we took to the skies for the first time with all the other balloonists! Nearly 400 balloons took off, and we were right in the middle of it all. The direction was promising, as we headed north-northwest toward the Rio Grande River and the town of Corrales, where there was plenty of landing space.
The special thing about crossing the Rio Grande here is that you can try to touch the water with the basket without submerging. We initially drove too high over the river and then managed to cross the river again in reverse, so to speak. However, we were still about a meter too high above the water—the trees were approaching suspiciously quickly, so we took off.
3. Balloon ride towards the city
On our third balloon ride, we had a pure north wind, which meant we were heading straight into the city! Three times the size of Munich, with an airfield and army airbase behind it – how were we supposed to find a landing site there? Many local balloonists (there were 149 balloons from the state of New Mexico!) didn't take off today, as the direction probably wasn't suitable for them. If we did, we were advised to fly parallel to the sewer and then land in Vista del Norte Park. No sooner said than done, we actually managed to reach this park in just 25 minutes, where about 30 other balloons landed. It worked, but my relief was evident.
Landing at Vista del Norte Park:
4. Balloon ride: Almost made it to the box again
It would take until Friday before we managed to complete the legendary "box." Today, we first headed south toward the city and then back north at high altitude—we descended too early, lacked patience, and didn't quite make it, landing for the second time in the Sandia Pueblos reservation. Nevertheless, it was a great ride with sweeping views of all the colorful balloons!
Landing is not permitted everywhere:
Months of preparation and high costs
The decision to participate was made in March: I want to be there. When confirmation came in July that "Urs" had been accepted, I was initially a little flustered. There was a lot to do and organize. First, I had to find a co-pilot: I knew Roman from Switzerland from various other events, and it quickly became clear that we would do this together. Roman had already been there several times as a pilot.
- Find a transporter who will bring the balloon to the USA by air freight. For cost reasons, the balloon will return by ship. This is because we have to pay for the transport ourselves. The balloon will be back here in Augsburg at the beginning of December.
- Booking flights to the USA: We have to pay for these ourselves. We fly via New York with Lufthansa and United to the Midwest. The flights take just under 14 hours.
- Booking rental cars and accommodations: The organizer pays a base amount, which is still almost $2,500, which we receive.
- Having team clothing, pins, stickers, etc. made—that's part of it too!
In the short preparation time, there were all sorts of other things to organize and prepare. This also included preparations for the balloon flights themselves. After all, the airspace will be "full" with so many balloonists. So there must be clear rules to prevent accidents. Two videos on YouTube brief us pilots, after which we have to complete a test to show that we have understood everything. I passed this test with a score of 90%.
The special weather for ballooning in Albuquerque
Autumn is one of the most beautiful times of the year in New Mexico, which lies at 1,539 meters above sea level. This peaceful prelude to winter means that cool mornings give way to warm afternoons, with mild temperatures throughout the day and typically light winds. This ideal weather, combined with the varying elevations and geography, makes Albuquerque an ideal place for ballooning at this time of year. The lower elevation of the river valley to the west, the higher elevation of the mountain range to the east, and the prevailing winds in the air create the legendary "Albuquerque Box," where gentle winds form a box pattern and balloons sometimes return to exactly where they took off. This natural phenomenon makes Albuquerque home to some of the best balloon rides in the world.
Background information on the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico, USA, is one of the largest and most famous hot air balloon festivals in the world. Every year in October, the event attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors over the course of a week. The fiesta was launched in 1972 and has since grown from a small gathering of 13 balloons to a huge spectacle with over 600 balloons from all over the world.
Where is Albuquerque in the USA?
One of the highlights of the fiesta is the "Mass Ascension," when hundreds of balloons rise into the sky at the same time, creating a breathtaking display of color in the sky above Albuquerque. In addition to the traditional balloon shapes, there are also numerous "special shapes," balloons designed in unusual shapes, such as animals, comic characters, or buildings.
In addition to the impressive balloon launches, the festival offers an extensive supporting program with music, arts and crafts, and culinary delights. Particularly popular are the evening "balloon glows," during which the balloons remain on the ground and their envelopes are illuminated from within in the dark, creating an atmospheric ambiance.
The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is not only a visual highlight, but also an important event for the ballooning community. It offers an opportunity for exchange, for presenting new technologies, and for promoting the sport. The unique combination of landscape, climate, and organization makes the Fiesta an unforgettable experience for visitors and participants alike.