So you want to learn about crewing?
It can be as difficult as flying, and sometimes driving can be more dangerous.
Without crew, retrieval of the balloon is most difficult. Once the balloon has drifted away, the crew packs up the fan and tarps, making sure there is nothing left behind on the launch field. It's best to have two people on the chase crew. One to drive and one to monitor the radio and keep the balloon in sight. The pilot can usually give the crew guidance to the landing site. If you are interested in crewing...send us an email and we'll put you on our crew list.
What do you need to crew? Enthusiasm, a love for early mornings, gloves, common sense and a sense of wonder for the romantic sport of Hot Air Ballooning!
The Balloon Federation of America has a Crew Achievement program. Check it out on the website!
http://www.bfa.net/awards.php#caap
For an interesting crew story, read below!
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2007 Reno!
Coming Soon!!
Mike Murray, Steve Kessinger (Continental Airline Jet Pilot!), Brent and Ania Rolland, Terri Murray and Tom Sharpee. Behind every picture is a story. Reno 98 was something special. We had a new truck and trailer with experienced crew. Reno weather for the first time produced intermittent downpours and fog. Where's the trailer? Ahhh, it was so wet on the launch field for Dawn Patrol, the non-4X4 truck would not pull the trailer up the muddy hill to the exit. As you can see, we found out that the 4.9 Balloon Works basket and envelope do fit in a Dodge short bed!
The chase was a little unusual also. Fog began to envelop the Dawn Patrol on lift off. Swiftly we tried to get back to terra firma. 3 balloons descended to the launch field, I landed across the street in a large extremely wet pasture. Rivlets of water oozed out of the ground. Not a very good place to for the final landing site. A baseball diamond complex was located at the far end of the field, conveniently the wind was heading right for a small parking lot. Needless to say, I lifted off and slowly made my way to the parking lot. The crew were frantically trying to reach me on the radio...the fog had closed in behind me and I had disappeared in the fog. After assuring them I was fine, I told them of my plans...I had plenty of visibility to land in the dark as the fog thickened. At that point I had 1 mile visibility in the direction I was traveling 3 feet off the ground with no obstacles or power lines near by. Once the crew arrived, they found the gate locked. By CB we called the Great Reno Balloon Race Announcing booth and luckily the Dawn Patrol Coordinator, Pixie Geesaman, was still there. Within 10 minutes someone with a key arrived to open the gates. Two other balloons had landed about 100 ft. from me in the complex. By the time the crew gained access, the two other balloons were not visible, the fog was pea soup... something unheard of in Reno!
Jeanne Anson Story and Photo copyright 1998