Ballooning events mean different things to different people. To members of the general public, ballooning events most likely represent little more than leisurely trips enjoyed most frequently by tourists. To members of the Balloon Federation of America (BFA), on the other hand, ballooning events usually mean one thing: racing.
Shortly after its conception, the modern hot air balloon was ruled out as an effective medium for aviation transport. Left with a burning passion for hot air balloons but no outlet through which to express it, balloon pilots and designers began racing. The first official hot air balloon race took place in Kalamazoo, Michigan during 1963. Since then, balloon competitions have only grown in popularity and event.
A typical hot air balloon race starts with the actual assembly of the envelope (the balloon) and its elements. Each race team rushes to unpack the envelope from its carrier, assemble the necessary parts, and then get the balloon into the air. Once the balloon is up, there are literally dozens of race scenarios that take place.
One competition scenario involves nothing but a race from point A to point B; the winner being the pilot who makes it there the fastest. Another common type of balloon race event involves a series of maneuvers that pilots must perform, resulting in various stops over predetermined locations. The pilots must then toss beanbags from their baskets and try to hit a specific target. The pilot whose beanbags land closest to all of the various targets is the winner.
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