This year was to be a little different for the Dawn Patrol. A "Mini Glow" began the show. 6 commercial balloons stood up and glowed while we prepared. The Wells Fargo Pink Piggy Bank loomed front and center. Don (the announcer) choreographed the glows and introduced the Shapes and Logo balloons. It was fun to watch, but knowing we were "on" soon, the excitement and anticipation builds. 10 minutes pass, one by one, the "Glow" balloons deflate. Our "Dawn Patrol" crew assembles (many day crew from other balloons come and help us set up, and then leave after we deflate). Some years the crowd is huge and crowd control is a reality and all the extra hands are needed. This year the crowd on the field is light.
No matter how frequently I fly Dawn Patrol, the magic and newness remain. There is just nothing like flying in the Dark.
Everything is ready and laid out for inflation. Each crew member has their task, the 5 fans start almost as one. The fabric billows with air. Pixie (launch and announcer coordinator) arrives to check our progress. 5 minutes to inflation. Tom comes around the balloon, turns the fan down to an idle...."the vent parachute lines are tangled." Soon it is remedied, the fan is cranked back up...we only lost a couple minutes.
"Cue off the balloon on the left" instructs Pixie. The pilot lights flicker, waiting to do their job. The roar of fire and light begins. Keeping my focus just below the flame on the fabric prevents night blindness. All is well, 1/2 way up, Fire II is added down the line. The roar deepens...then silence, followed by the cheering crowd.
Battery, lights and spot light are secured, radio and water are on board. Anything else? Passenger climbs in. The ground display beings, introductions, simultaneous burn, syncro up the line and back. Release the tie-off. A good luck kiss from Tom and it's time to fly! Steve slowly rises up beside me, soon he calls down that he's clear. I hear my name being called, Fire II on. We are aloft into the night!
The early morning layers of wind seem so delicate and subtle. No other flying is as intense as flying in the dark. The instruments are the lifeline to reality. 600' feels and looks like 150. As we lifted off into the darkness, sparkling lights of Downtown Reno, sharp and clear, welcome us. "Wow" sighs the passenger. Drifting Southeast, slowly rising, then a little northwest we moved. Searching to find the right wind to keep us close together and close to the field. The passenger moved from one side of the basket to the other to capture the magic of this fantasy flight. A CB radio message relaying a "fire II" request as the other balloons lined up with Reno's lights in the background. "Can we have a simultaneous burn now???" 3 seconds later it was done and photo taken. When not burning, the balloons are practically invisible to each other, especially when viewed from above, you can't see the strobe or position light.
As Steve Turner called out "twinkle", I moved up and down to accommodate the poses. Hopefully we'll be rewarded with good clear pics of all the balloons. Photos in the dark are sensitive. It takes only a small movement to cause them to be fuzzy.
Soon it was time to land. The sun and daylight were near, at 200' the wind would take me over to the parking lot...oh well, I wanted the launch field. at 100' it shifted south...perfect...within Rancho San Rafael park, easy for the chase to retrieve us. A man with a flash light in the middle of the street appeared like a good target...I could walk over to the large dirt field beyond, though it contained a couple fire trucks. Then he proceeded to tell the spectators to move away because I was landing....forcing them to move back in fear, when there was nothing to fear. The surface wind slowed, quickly I altered my descent and my landing spot became the lawn before the street, with room enough to deflate. Over a 10' tree we glided, I spoke reassuring words to the crowd that gathered and set down firmly on the damp grass, no bounce or drag. Traffic had been stopped, I let them know, it was ok. I would not block the road. Traffic resumed, as the children and adults pressed close with questions flying, balloon trading cards were passed out to eager hands. Their queries answered one by one. Yet another satisfying Dawn Patrol. Soon the crew arrived and deflation and packup began.
But the day is just beginning! We head toward the refueling truck, refuel and are back to our official Launch site quickly. Within minutes the Day Crew arrives.
Dawn Patrol Photo copyright Steve Strickland