October 1 – The annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF) starts Saturday, October 3 and runs through Sunday, October 11.
Now in its 38th year, the AIBF continues to astonish spectators with mass ascensions, special-shape events, balloon glows, and special “prize-grab” competitions. At least 650 pilots from 17 countries and 38 states have registered to fly 550 balloons this year. With such a large scale event, and with crowds expected to number in the hundreds of thousands, safety becomes the utmost concern.
“Albuquerque can be a challenging environment, with dangers that should never be taken lightly,” says FAA FAASTeam Program Manager and balloon-rated pilot J.D. Huss. “But with the proper tools and support staff in place, ballooning here can be both safe and exhilarating.”
Safety at the AIBF begins well before a balloon is ever unpacked. Read all about it in the FAA Aviation News www.faa.gov/news/aviation_news/2009/media/SepOct2009.pdf.For the complete article, see page 18 of the September/October 2009 edition of FAA Aviation News.
