THE CALGARY BALLOON CLUB

CHAMPAGN-E-VENTS

AUGUST 2015

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MAILING ADDRESS:

c/o 5639 Maidstone Cres N.E. Calgary, Alberta T2A 4C3 WEBSITE: – http://www.calgaryballoonclub.ca/ MEETING HALL ADDRESS:

Aero Space Museum 4629 McCall Way N.E. Calgary, Alberta T2E 8A5 MEETINGS:

Second Wednesday of each month, (except July, August & December) @ 7:30 p.m.

2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Jonathan Perron-Clow 587-215-5019 President-Elect Eduardo Martinez 587-888-9412 Past President Norm Gold 403-293-6129 Vice President Richard Clark 403-288-2978 Secretary Tara Leatherdale 403-475-6800 Treasurer Dirk Luxen 403-992-2194 Director-At-Large Graham Hack 403-651-6368

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

CAOC. Representative Dirk Luxen 403-992-2194 Chief Pilot Linda Then 403-276-6507 Chief Flight Instructor Del Michaud 403-246-8332 Education Richard Clark 403-288-2978 Membership/ Email-Around Graham Hack 403-651-6368 Merchandizing Cat Tanton 403-240-1491 Newsletter Editor Edward E. Tower Scrapbook Jean Clark 403-288-2415 Rural Events Coordinator Brant Leatherdale 403-475-6800

CHAMPAGN-E-VENTS is the primary communications medium of the Calgary Balloon Club. Opinions presented in contributions, articles, letters and editorials are solely the opinions of the authors and do not express the official views of the Calgary Balloon Club. Published by Reidham & Wheap Press, Calgary, Alberta. Copyright 2015

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EDITORIAL NOTES: Welcome to the third edition of the Club newsletter for the year. The summer issue is always a bit more challenging to compile, given holiday schedules and the lure of outdoor activities that keep us from the task at hand. This time however we have been very fortunate to have received a large number of photos to choose from and a generous selection of written material submitted. Given plenty to work with, we have been able to put together a solid edition even with the summer`s distractions.

I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to all of the contributors and to the members of the newsletter team, for all of their time and effort in making this publication a success.

As outlined in the May newsletter, I shall be stepping down as editor of CHAMPAGN-E-VENTS following the completion of the February 2016 edition.

I am pleased to report that there has been an expression of interest in the position. There is potential for establishing a co-editor approach, so opportunity exists for others to be involved.

Anyone who would consider participating in the production of the newsletter is encouraged to contact me.

The next issue of CHAMPAGN-E-VENTS will be distributed in November 2015. Please forward your submissions by October 19, 2015. HeatherHeatherHeatherHeather

[Front Cover Design - Thanks to Ralph Dowson]

CALGARY BALLOON CLUB

Annual General Meeting Aero Space Museum

November 11, 2015 @ 7:30 pm Election of Officers & General Business Meeting

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President’s Report – Calgary Balloon Club

Drumheller gave us a great taste of what 2015 holds in terms of flying. There were 11 balloons in the air in

Drumheller, not a record but the most in perhaps a few years. The two mornings were perfect for flying.

The comradery, friendship and sense of family were exceptional.

One of the things that I liked best, was that there were people I didn’t know who were there and there

were people who hadn’t been out before (like me). Everyone was welcoming and the Saturday night

potluck felt like a family reunion. Another positive aspect was that a number of people expressed an

interest in training to become pilots. As Club members, we should offer to crew when they

need us…someday they might take us for a flight. As I detail later on in the newsletter, even I took a

training flight!

While this summer has been quiet in terms of Club activities, there was a bit of ballooning that made the

news. Our visitor to the May meeting flew in his helium-balloon chair and parachuted down during

Stampede. It made the news throughout the world.

The most important thing to me is that he landed safely and didn’t hurt himself or anyone else. What

I hope it did, was create a conversation about ballooning in Calgary. I’ve invited a media friend of mine to

come out and cover a flight over the city to show how hot air ballooning is different than that media stunt.

While the science is the same (things go up, they come down), I think our form of ballooning is better: it is

informed by weather, it follows strict rules and manufacturers guides, and safety is not a guessing game.

My friend has yet to go for her balloon ride, but when she does I hope she shares with Calgarians what we

know: flying in a balloon can be done over this city in full security and without the police waiting upon

landing.

The attempt to fly out of High River on Canada Day did not pan out as planned. With marginal weather at

best and one of the earliest sunrises, the competition didn’t happen; the Canada Day trophy will have to

be given out at a later time.

This fall, there is a huge amount of flying planned. As we all know, it’s the best way to see Alberta and we

get a view of different parts of the province with flying in Hespero, Drumheller, High River and Raven.

Perhaps just as important, it is a great time to be together and share old stories and new.

Safe flying and see you out there, ridiculously early!

JonathanJonathanJonathanJonathan

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CANADIAN BALLOON PILOT LICENCE

AND HOW TO OBTAIN ONE

The following requirements refer to a Canadian citizen, at least 16 years of age, who does not hold

another aviation licence. (If you are not a Canadian citizen, or hold another aviation licence, please

contact the Chief Instructor of the Calgary Balloon Club named at the end of this article.)

1) Medical: You must pass a medical exam by a physician recognized by Transport Canada.

We recommend you complete the medical prior to starting your training. A list of medical

examiners is available, or we can recommend one.

2) You must be trained by a licensed balloon pilot with an instructor rating. We have a list of

instructors and will do our best to match you with one based on your and the instructor’s

availability.

3) You require at least 10 hours of ground school training.

4) Once your ground school training is done, you must obtain a letter from your instructor stating

that you have successfully completed the training and that they recommend you be allowed

to write your first written exam. This exam (PSTAR), focuses on air law and regulations, but

does not specifically pertain to hot air balloons. You must pass the PSTAR exam before you can

fly solo.

5) Before obtaining your licence you will need a minimum of 16 hours of flight training which

includes at least 11 hours of untethered flight. The untethered flight training must include at

least 6 dual instruction flights, including one ascent to over 5000 feet and 2 solo flights of at

least 30 minutes each.

6) In order to fly solo (with no other people aboard) you must obtain a Student Pilot Permit (SPP)

from a Transport Canada Authorized Person. Your Instructor will help you with this. You will

need the original documents and 3 copies of each of:

A: Identification showing your nationality, age and full name.

B: Proof you have satisfied the medical criteria: either your Licence Validation Certificate or

a Medical Assessment Letter.

C: A copy of your results of the PSTAR exam, showing a passing grade.

D: A letter of recommendation from your instructor stating that you have completed the

requirements, have demonstrated sufficient competence in the operation of a hot air

balloon and that you should be allowed to fly solo.

7) After receiving a passing grade on your PSTAR exam, and after completing at least 12 hours of

your flight training (75% of the 16 required hours), you can obtain a letter from your instructor

recommending that you be allowed to try your second written exam. This exam (PIBAL) may

cover any aspect of ballooning, from regulations to the relevant laws of physics.

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8) After you have satisfied all of the requirements your instructor must certify in your log book

that the flights and times entered therein are accurate. Your instructor must also provide you

with a letter stating that you are competent to fly a hot air balloon and recommend that you

receive your licence. You must then return to Transport Canada or the Transport Canada

Authorized Person with the originals and 3 copies of:

A. Your Student Pilot Permit.

B. A current Licence Validation Certificate.

C. Your certified log book showing you have satisfied the requirements of the licence.

D. Your letter of recommendation from your instructor.

9) You will then be required to fill out an application form for a licence and pay a fee. The

Transport Canada Authorized Person will complete the back of your Student Pilot Permit,

which then becomes your temporary balloon licence for a specified time or until Transport

Canada issues you the actual licence.

Being a member of the Calgary Balloon Club gives you favourable balloon rental and instruction

rates. To answer any questions you may have regarding licensing or costs please contact:

Del Michaud, Calgary Balloon Club Chief Instructor

403-246-8332

SPEAKERS May 13/15 – Flying in Mexico - Eduardo Martinez

Around the “Place of the Gods” or Teotihuacan, Mexico, there are several commercial hot air balloon operations. The area is a national treasure dating back to 100BC and attracting many tourists. Eduardo described aspects of flying in the area – the numerous (20-30) balloons, new operators seizing the opportunity to give tour rides, super slow winds and the caution required with operating near a historical site. Quite an experience to fly in an area of such long history.

June 10/15 – Hydrogen As An Alternate Fuel - Sean C ampbell –

Sean’s presentation discussed research on an alternate fuel – hydrogen, rather than propane as fuel for hot air balloons. This project is associated with the University of Waterloo. The goal is to develop a more environmentally friendly fuel system. Considerations are fuel supply, energy requirements, weight and safety (backup fuel). Hydrogen, colourless and odourless, can be readily made. Hearing about this project, which is still in the early stages, gave us much to think about.

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Photo Thanks to Sheri S.

Photo Thanks to Colin H.

Drumheller – Spring 2015

We arrive ahead of time in Drumheller to take in the Royal Tyrell Museum and get my balloon annual done by Dale Ritchie. Throughout the afternoon and evening on Friday, May 8th, eleven balloonists, with crew, and families arrive at the Travelodge and fill it to near capacity. The grassy area facing the Red Deer River becomes an outdoor lounge where we congregate and socialize. Across the river is the ‘world’s largest dinosaur’ watching over us.

Our first flight is Saturday morning. I’m a little nervous. Back in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, I fly in familiar and flat territory. The other pilots assure me I’ll be fine and that there are landing sites in the valley. Or you can always fly out of the valley and onto the prairie, I am told.

I’m the third balloon off from the ball diamond and drift across the river and along the highway past the Royal Tyrell Museum and the golf course. Jamie Kinghorn lands near the Museum. I continue on. Nice contour flying in the valley. But the wind is picking up. I’m looking for a landing spot, as is Richard Clark who is at the same altitude and close by. He climbs and flies on. I’m low and catch a landing spot just off the N Dinosaur Trail highway. Dale Ritchie is right behind me and lands further on. Richard beyond that. Everyone regroups at the motel for champagne then breakfast at a local restaurant.

We meet as a group for a BBQ at the motel in the evening. I absorb advice and stories from the other pilots. “Follow Del Michaud,” Garry Lockyer tells me. “He knows where he’s going!”

Sunday morning and the winds are light and variable. I pull onto the grass at the ball diamond leaving a wide berth between me and the balloons on either side. “You know other pilots will pull right in beside you, don’t you?” Dirk Howard tells me. I am fortunate to have his help and expertise as crew this weekend. Really?! I don’t believe him. Sure enough I have a new neighbor on each side and the space is filled to capacity as the colourful envelopes inflate.

Balloons are low over the river literally hanging in the calm air. I’m aware of a balloon above me but can’t see it. At one point, I am over the river right next to the launch site where my

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Thank you to Inge F. & Sheri S. for these great photos.

crew wait. Good plan. I’m not going far. Nobody is. I see Del land on the other side of the river. A few others find landing spots in town or just on the outskirts. I think I might be able to land in the parking lot of the site of the Canadian Badlands Passion Play, but the breeze changes on descent. It’s well over an hour and I’m the last balloon in the air. Finally, I’m able to land at a baseball diamond in a neighborhood on the north side of the river. “Patience is key on mornings like this,” Walt Then tells me after he, Linda, and their crew coach me into the green space. I’m grateful for their help. My crew is right behind. Children living nearby are delighted. As am I.

Thanks to the organizers for a great weekend. See you at High River! Sharon Elliott Sharon Elliott Sharon Elliott Sharon Elliott

Saturday, May 9th ~ Drumheller Highlights

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Photo Thanks to Inge F.

My first training flight

When someone like Dennis Myrthu – experienced, highly respected and very kind – approaches you

telling you to go for a flight and that you’ll be his last trainee, it’s difficult to say no. In fact, there are no

excuses to not take part in such a flight. That happened to me this spring in Drumheller as the former

Chief Pilot of the Club, a role he held for longer than I’ve been alive, approached me after the first

morning’s flight. I said yes.

That night, I kept my beer consumption low. I wanted to be perfectly awake and sharp for our flight early

the next day. I awoke to see the sun shining, a ready trainer and a crew eager to help. It was a perfect day

for a flight. The only question was where we would launch.

The group selected the baseball diamonds. As we drove to the site, Dennis asked a few questions and

gave me a few tips. To be truthful, I can’t recall them now; I was a bit stressed. I felt calm, but I wanted to

go through my own checklist and make sure I was ready. We arrived and started pulling the equipment

out. I looked over everything, even though I had seen the balloon fly the day before. As the youngest

member of the team that day, I felt like I should try to do more of the heavy lifting, especially since I was

going to be the one in the air.

Dennis let me inflate the balloon. After we got the

top in and there was a fair amount of air, I got into

position, opened the tanks and aimed the flame into

the large hole. On Dennis’ cue, I would flick the

switch to activate the millions of BTUs that would

keep us afloat. I’ve seen hundreds of different pilots

inflate a balloon a hundred different ways – short-

short-long, long-short-long – there are as many

combinations as the Morse code. My goal was to

listen to Dennis and to understand the rhythm we

were establishing. Enough about the inflation. The

balloon eventually stood and I was below the

burners, in the basket. Dennis popped in.

I had been in this position before. Four years ago, a friend took me up for a flight where I had my hand on

the burner. Before launch, he asked me if I was ready to go. My brain said no, but my mouth said yes. I

was terribly nervous. But I flew and landed safely and felt great about it afterwards.

This time, I didn’t feel like saying no. I had told Dennis about my fear of going high. I know, I know, how

can you be a balloon pilot if you are afraid of going up? I’ve asked many pilots this question and the

answer is surprising. A majority, including pilots with thousands of hours in the air, have told me they are

always a little afraid. But the rewards of the flight and their ability to mitigate that fear through training,

knowledge and a few deep breaths are what push them into the air.

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Photo Thanks to Jody H.

With everything in place, we took off from center field. After clearing

the field, we started drifting slightly towards town, along the river.

Balloons flying a little higher were going almost 180 degrees in the

other direction. So there was steerage: good to know. We followed

Cliff as he inched towards the dinosaur and got close to the water

without touching it.

We didn’t get quite that low. After carefully avoiding the hydro lines

that crossed the water, we took a right turn. Dale and Linda were

floating higher and getting a better direction, so we rose towards

them. Each time we rose, my breath was heavy and I tensed up. I

reminded myself that I was in complete control.

Throughout all of this, Dennis introduced new concepts to keep in

mind. As much as possible, I should try to achieve level flight and

without looking at the instruments. I keep gazing at the horizon,

trying to see whether we are going up or down and putting heat in as needed. Also, fuel management is

key. You should know how much fuel you have left in each tank and which tank to switch to and when.

And of course, where can we land. We never made it as high as Dale and Linda and so our drift towards

town kept happening. We accepted it and looked towards where we could land. We found a direction

and a bit of speed towards some open space past ripped up railroad tracks. All was going well. Then I lost

a few feet and any speed we had. For a few seconds, we headed backwards. Dennis read my mind and

understood we wouldn’t go three hundred feet higher to maybe get some direction the other way, across

the river where the others were heading. We kept trying, going up and down trying to find anything that

could resemble a breeze. We drifted towards the courthouse.

We were moving slowly, less than 200 feet above the

courthouse and got directly above it when the wind died

again. The field we wanted was right behind it – short, green

grass. We descended and again Dennis read my mind as he

mentioned that we could use the drop line. Our crew was

hanging out on the street, their short parade of vehicles

having travelled the 500 meters we had flown.

The balloon moved backwards slowly. I had one hand on the

red line, the other on the burner. Dennis took care of the

drop line as the crew waited below. From 20 feet, just above

the trees, he threw. We kept coming down as we were

guided towards the parking lot, our tarmac for the day. We

bumped, and I pulled the red line as hard as I could before

we bumped again.

Photo Thanks to Inge F.

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After a celebratory picture, the top came out, I milked the balloon and we packed it up. Dennis and I went

for propane where we reviewed the flight. I appreciated that he had had the confidence to let me fly

without reaching for the burners. Only a few times did he need to tell me to burn but he told me without

any panic in his voice, even as we came down towards homes or the river.

Champagne, breakfast and a return to Calgary were the next steps. As I returned to town and thought

about the flight, I thought about the fact that though I was scared, I had been in control. I want to do it

again. I want to explore a bit higher just to see what’s up there.

Thank you to Dennis and to the crew who made everything so comfortable for the flight.

JonathanJonathanJonathanJonathan

P.S. As she walked back to her car for something while we were at the courthouse, Jody tripped and hurt

herself. This summer has likely been difficult for her. I hope she feels like herself again soon.

Sunday, May 10th ~ Drumheller Highlights

Thank you to Colin H. & Sheri S. for these great photos.

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Calgary Bantam Football League Casino

~ June 14 & 15, 2015, Casino Calgary Thanks to the Club members listed below, for supporting our volunteer efforts at the casino. The Calgary Balloon Club received a cheque for $1000.00 from the Calgary Bantam Football League (CBFA). We will most likely be asked to help the next time the CBFA has a casino! Volunteers were: Linda, Drew, Norm, Eduardo, Searle (2 shifts!), Cat, Debbie, Jonathon, Leanne, Tara and Brant (who could not make it but were able to get a replacement – “above and beyond”!) and Jane (friend of Linda).

JOIN YOUR FRIENDS IN DRUMHELLER

September 11th – 13th, 2015

Reserve your room at the Travelodge:

1-403-823-5302 (Be sure to mention the Balloon Club.)

Watch your email for the details.

Everyone Welcome!

THANKS TO:

� Eduardo M. for being the guest speaker at the May meeting.

� Linda T. for arranging on our behalf, the volunteer/fund raising opportunity

with the CBFA and coordinating the Club volunteers for this event.

� The Club members who volunteered at the AeroSpace Museum for the

Father’s Day event.

� � � � � �

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"Something Different" Cañon City Balloon Festival

May 2015

You know how you feel when you just know that you need a change from all the usual stuff that you do throughout the year? I go to a number of balloon festivals every year...from Lake Havasu City, AZ in January through to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico in October. All of the festivals I attend are great...I enjoy all of them for each of their unique characteristics and different venues...ice and snow in Vernon, BC to camping out in Hespero, AB. But the one thing that never seems to change with all of these events is the people that attend. Now don't get me wrong...I go to these events because of the friends and acquaintances that I know will be there. I have been flying with some of these pilots and crew for over thirty seven years now and I can say, honestly, that they are some of the best friends that I have. But...sometimes it's nice to change the scenery, kick the dog, so to speak (not that I would EVER kick my dog), and make a change just for the sake of change. That's why I decided to head down to a funky little town in Southwest Colorado called Cañon City (pronounced "Canyon" City because it has that funny little Spanish accent over the middle "n"). I got an invitation through my good friends, Ken Tadolini and Patsy Buchwald, who live in Colorado Springs, CO. Patsy ran the Colorado Springs Balloon Classic for many years and I've been flying at events with Ken for many years as well. I managed to get invited to this year's festival at the end of May (Memorial Day holiday weekend in the US)...it was the second year of this invitational event. We had seventeen balloons registered, including Tammy Foley, who some of you will know from the High River festival. I left Golden, BC (Barb wasn't able to come with me because of that work thing) early in the morning of the 21st of May and made it to Buffalo, WY the first night (about 14 hours). I was on my way again to Cañon City in the morning of the 22nd and arrived in town around three in the afternoon (another 8 hour trip). I checked into the hotel and then headed over to the Holy Cross Abbey grounds...the site of the festival for the weekend. The Holy Cross Abbey doesn't exist as an abbey any more but has beautiful grounds and an on-site winery that even brewed a specially blended wine called "Ascension" just for the event. We held a very brief briefing under a tent that seemed to want to leave the ground with all of the wind and storms around and then headed indoors for a nice reception with dinner and drinks and an opportunity to meet our sponsors and get to know them a little better. My sponsor was an IT company headquartered in Cañon City and the family that owns the company was very excited and helpful. The entertainment that night was a young man and his mother who flew indoor kites. They took over the gymnasium on the event grounds and put on a unique display of indoor kite flying and also telling us their stories. He was a contestant on "America's Got Talent" and even made it to the Las Vegas round before they sent him home...he was very versatile with his kites. Each pilot received a very nice gift basket with a bottle of

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the special wine, a number of other goodies and a large cookie that was decorated with the colours and patterns of each individual balloon...so nice that I haven't eaten it yet! The scene was set for Saturday morning's flight...it had rained overnight but the winds were very light and variable so we set to getting our balloons ready. I, of course, had arrived without any crew and was dependant on the organizers arranging some volunteers for me. I got a couple of local guys who have a landscaping company in town...they were fantastic, knew everyone in town and followed instructions perfectly. Cañon City is set right up against the east slopes of the Rockies between Utah and Colorado so flying there could have been a little sketchy but the prevailing winds and systems are similar to Calgary...just a lot closer to the rocks and starting at an altitude of 5,300 feet. I took one of the owners/sponsors and his son for a slow but very nice flight over town. We didn't have any issues, got some nice photos and played for over an hour in the air. There was a glow scheduled for Saturday and Sunday evenings...we had a football field that was being used for the flights but was a little small to jam all seventeen balloons in at once so they split the field and only half the balloons glowed on Saturday and the rest were scheduled for Sunday PM. I didn't have to glow on Saturday night so I played tourist and wandered around the field watching the balloons bouncing around in some very "sporty" winds. The glow didn't last long with gusting winds increasing so everyone packed up and waited until Sunday. On Sunday morning, the winds were, again, fairly light but heading off to the east of town and would bring us over a very large penitentiary. The event had gone to a lot of trouble to get permission for the balloons to overfly the "Pen" and they did such a good job of landowner relations that the Warden approved us to land on the penitentiary grounds with escorts in and out of the property. This "Pen" is a working farm/agricultural center and raises crops, horses and even, goats. My volunteer crew

showed up as scheduled, along with my entire sponsor's family, who enjoyed the flight so much the day before, that they wanted to come out and crew for the flight. We launched and headed southeast and then to the east toward the penitentiary. The winds were very light and all the balloons, but one, were able to land in hay fields and acreages before getting to the "Pen" grounds. Sunday evening showed good promise even though it rained hard during the day. The weather cleared up nicely and I was able to glow for over an hour in calm wind conditions.

Monday morning was a different story and we went on a weather hold to see if the system that we had over us would move through the area. Some lenticular cloud appeared over the mountains and the upper winds picked up significantly so we chose, as a group, not to fly. A couple of balloons stood up for the very small crowd that was there and I busied myself with packing my rig for travelling. I left town and headed home...arriving back in Golden on Tuesday evening. The event was very good for a very new festival. Some organizational matters can be cleaned up a little and more activities can be added as the event gets more experience under it's belt but, all in all, the Cañon City Balloon Festival was a success and a lot of fun to attend. It was a bit of a drive from Canada so, if I attend next year, I'm thinking of trying to add a couple of other balloon events or some hiking/sightseeing into the long trip. Dale Ritchie Dale Ritchie Dale Ritchie Dale Ritchie

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The 2015 (4th Annual) HESPERO BALLOON RACE and Corn Roast

September 4-7 (Labour Day Weekend) See the August Club announcements for details,

or contact Cliff Skocdopole for more information - cliff@skocdopole.com

4th ANNUAL WINGS & WHEELS

I took a shift at the Aero Space Museum for the Father’s Day display on Sunday, June 21st,

from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and found it busier than last year. Ken Bache and Dirk Luxen had

been there for some time already and stayed with me for quite a while, so I was only on my

own for about the last hour, and the crowd was thinning out by then.

There was a lot of interest from all age groups and dozens of photographs were taken of

people in the basket. People seemed very interested in the whole concept of flying a

balloon, and many seemed surprised that a balloon is a registered aircraft. There were the

usual questions such as “How do you steer”, and “Where do you land”, and many seemed

to think that “The windier the better”!

We gave out quite a lot of information about the Club, particularly leaflets about the High

River event. Let’s hope that this pays off and that some of the interested parties turn up.

All in all, it was a very rewarding afternoon and an easy way to support the Club.

Shelagh Shelagh Shelagh Shelagh Bailey.Bailey.Bailey.Bailey.

CONGRATULATIONS TO:

� Barb L. on her recent retirement.

� Gary F. on obtaining his AME licence.

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Heritage InnHeritage InnHeritage InnHeritage Inn InternationalInternationalInternationalInternational Balloon FestivalBalloon FestivalBalloon FestivalBalloon Festival

High River, AB - September 23 – 27, 2015

The Heritage Inn Hotels are sponsoring this event, which will

host 27 balloons, including international pilots from Belgium,

United Kingdom, USA (Alaska, Colorado, Montana, South

Dakota) and some of the finest Canadian balloon pilots

competing for the Canadian National Championship.

For further details including a schedule of events, information

on the participating pilots and volunteer opportunities, visit:

http://www.heritageinninternationalballoonfestival.com/

MEMBER NEWS

Al Toews is out of commission

for a while after breaking his

back during a quad outing. Al is

taking it easy right now but

chomping at the bit to get back

to work, ‘quadding’ and

ballooning.

Al, we hope to see you at

Hespero and other September

events, even if you are just

observing!

This image gives a whole new meaning to “tank retrieval”. And there is yet another great Balloon Story to be told here!

Thanks again to Dirk L. for searching out another of these fun photos.

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RAVEN RALLY 2015 OCTOBER 23 - 25 Welcome to Raven, Alberta Beautiful in the fall, we welcome balloonists to again enjoy the great weather, large landing fields and some great flights and friends. Raven is in the heartlands of Alberta, located 30 miles west of Innisfail and less than 2 hours

from Calgary. The site of the Rally is at Caron Farms, complete with an excellent Balloonport, campground and group facilities.

FLIGHTS: SATURDAY A.M./P.M. SUNDAY A.M. MEALS: SATURDAY A.M. BREAKFAST

SATURDAY P.M. DINNER SUNDAY A.M. BREAKFAST

ACCOMMODATIONS: ON SITE CAMPING OR REASONABLE MOTELS OR BED AND BREAKFAST IS AVAILABLE 10 - 15 MINUTES AWAY. FACILITIES: ROUNDHOUSE COMPLETE WITH CAMP

KITCHEN, WOOD FIRE PIT, LOTS OF TABLES. OUTDOOR BIFFIES

COST: $25.00 PER PERSON

THINGS TO DO: BALLOON FLIGHTS,

CUTTING WOOD!! RELAXING, SOCIALIZING and JUST HAVING A

GREAT TIME!!

HALLOWEEN COSTUMES ON SATURDAY NIGHT ARE A GREAT HIT!

CONTACT: WALT AND / OR LINDA THEN

403-276-6507/403-874-0160/ wlthen@telus.net

(We will need to know how many to expect for planning the meals, so please let us know if you

are planning on coming)

BRING THE FAMILY, COME READY TO RELAX, ENJOY THE FLYING, THE FRIENDSHIPS AND

ABOVE ALL.... HAVE FUN!

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CARON FAMILY FARM – PHONE 1-403-728-3675 MOTEL ACCOMMODATION:

SPRUCEVIEW MOTEL: 1-403-728-3381 GATEWAY (Caroline) 1-403-722-3322

ON SITE CAMPING SURROUNDING THE BALLOONPORT:

INDOOR WASHROOMS AND SHOWERS PICNIC TABLES ROUNDHOUSE W/ COOKING FACILITIES

NO ELECTRICAL OR WATER HOOKUPS.

NORTH

TO CAROLINE SPRUCEVIEW

TO

RED DEER

CALGARY

INNISFAIL

CARON

FAMILY

FARM

(Approximately

45 kms)

Range Road

45 Hwy 54

Hwy 2

1.5 miles Not a straightroad

“CARON

SPREAD”(sign)

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FLIGHT COORDINATOR LIST CLUB MEMBERS – REMEMBER! You can book flights in the Club balloon for yourself, family members, or close friends. � Anyone wishing to book the Club balloon must call the Flight Coordinator for the month in question. � Pilots may have only one regular booking at a time and one extraordinary booking, with the approval of the Executive.

NOTE: 1. The Coordinator should advise the

Club Secretary of any long term booking requests.

2. If a booking is needed when there is not an assigned Coordinator, the booking should be made with the Club Secretary.

TO SCHEDULE A FLIGHT � Check with the Flight Coordinator to find out what days are available. � Contact a Club Pilot to arrange for the flight and the rate. � Call the Flight Coordinator and book the flight. ENJOY!

NOTE: The Club trailer is temporarily being stored at Richard and Heather Clark`s property, pending the arrangement of permanent storage.

Should You Fly If You Can See This? A funnel cloud was seen southwest of

Calgary on July 2, 2015. As it moved east

near Priddis, AB there was also a distinct

‘wall’ cloud. A funnel cloud is a vortex of

condensed water vapor and air spinning at

high velocity. This can form under cumulus

clouds if there is enough humidity and

vortex of air movement. Funnel clouds are

associated with tornadoes and can

influence an area for tens of kilometres.

Changes in wind speed can happen with

little or no warning.

REMEMBER - “Better to be on the ground

wishing you were in the air, rather than in

the air wishing you were on the ground”.

August Jody H. 403-277-1811

September Brant L. 403-475-6800

October Debbie S 403-248-4032

November Jody H. 403-277-1811

December Norm G . 403-293-6129

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2015-2016 CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

DATES EVENT LOCATION CONTACT Aug 31 CBC Executive Meeting TBA Jonathan P. Sept 4-7 Hespero Balloon Race and Corn Roast Hespero, AB Cliff S. Sept 9 CBC Monthly Meeting AeroSpace Museum Jonathan P. Sept 11-13 Fall Drumheller Happening Drumheller, AB Brant L. Sept 23-27 Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival High River, AB

Oct 3-11 Albuquerque Balloon Festival Albuquerque, NM Oct 5 CBC Executive Meeting TBA Jonathan P. Oct 14 CBC Monthly Meeting – Note Date AeroSpace Museum Jonathan P. Oct 17 CBC After Meeting Flight TBA Debbie S. Oct 19 Newsletter Deadline Heather C. Oct 23-25 Raven Rally Raven, AB Linda T. Nov 2 CBC Executive Meeting TBA Jonathan P. Nov 11 CBC AGM & Elections AeroSpace Museum Jonathan P. Nov 13-15 14th Annual Festival del Globo 2015 Leon, Mexico Nov 14 CBC After Meeting Flight TBA Jody H. Dec 3 CBC Annual Christmas Party TBA Jan 1, 2016 New Year’s Day Flight & Brunch TBA Jan 4 CBC Executive Meeting. TBA Jonathan P. Jan 13 CBC Monthly Meeting AeroSpace Museum Jonathan P. Jan 15-18 Lake Havasu Balloon Fest Lake Havasu, AZ Jan 16 CBC After Meeting Flight TBA Feb 1 CBC Executive Meeting TBA Jonathan P. Feb 5-7 Vernon Winter Carnival Vernon, BC Feb 10 CBC Monthly Meeting AeroSpace Museum Jonathan P. Feb 13 CBC After Meeting Flight TBA Feb 29 CBC Executive Meeting TBA Jonathan P. March 9 CBC Monthly Meeting Aerospace Museum Jonathan P. March 12 CBC After Meeting Flight TBA

• Word has it that Tara L. is progressing well with her pilot training.

• Former Club members Peter & Bridget Cameron were recently in Calgary, visiting

from New Zealand.

• Jody H. is well on the way to recovery after suffering a concussion from her fall

in Drumheller.

• Jennifer L. is expected back in Calgary for a visit in September.

• Stay tuned to see if that May Drumheller flight was indeed, Dennis' last, last flight!

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Calgary Balloon Club Membership Application Membership Year is from January 1 to December 31 Name: __________________________________________________ Surname First Address: ________________________________________________

_________________________ Postal Code: _____________

Email Address: ___________________________________________

Phone – Home: ____________________ Cell: __________________

It is the intention of the Club: - to use the information to contact you about Club activities - to provide a Membership Roster and Email list for Club members - to use the information for Club purposes - for you to have access to your information - to respect your privacy * I give permission to have my contact information included on the Membership Roster and/or Email list to be distributed to the members of the Calgary Balloon Club. Circle One YES NO Membership Class Rate Amount Enclosed Active $ 45.00/year _______________ Family of Active Member $ 15.00/year _______________ Name(s) of Family Members applied for: ______________________________ Family Member’s Email Address: _________________________ Phone: ___________ Total Enclosed: $______________

Date : _________________ Signature : __________________________ Please Make Cheque Payable to : The Calgary Balloon Club c/o 5639 Maidstone Cres N.E. Calgary, Alberta T2A 4C3 For "E-Transfer" please contact the Club's Treasurer

Member App-Rev7 150330

22 MORNING REFELECTION – by Sheri S.