Balloon
race is actually a misnomer. The "races" are really tests of pilots'
navigational skills, timing and maneuvering ability. Along with their crews,
the pilots guide their huge aircraft to specified points and mark their
success with colorful bean bag markers dropped on an "X" target on the
ground. Official "observers" provide each pilot with proper scoring
of their marked drop.
FIT(Fly
In
Task)
This
is the most fascinating race for spectators. The launch field becomes
the goal and the competitors are dispatched to take off from beyond a certain
distance. In this race, a pilot's advantage is determined by his/her
skill in planning a flight path using data such as weather information
provided at the pilots' briefing, map, and sending up small helium-filled
balloons prior to takeoff to determine wind direction. Spectators
standing at the goal can observe the effects of wind variation with altitude
variation as balloons make their approach from various angles.
Judge-Declared
Goal
The
pilot flies to a predetermined goal downwind and drops his/her marker on
the "X" target. The race winner is the pilot with the marker closest
to the center of the target.
Hare
and Hounds
The
Hare is the first balloon launched and generally launches 10 to 15 minutes
ahead of the race contestants (Hounds). The object of the race for
the Hounds is to drop a marker as close as possible to an "X" target displayed
at the landing position of the Hare. The competitors are briefed
on weather conditions and wind direction and must navigate their balloons
using wind variations at different altitudes. This is the type of
balloon competition that will be held at the Lake Gaston Resort Hot Air
Balloon Classic
Watership
Down
This
is a two-part task. Pilots will find their own launch areas and fly
to a goal. At a specified time a Hare Balloon will take off adjacent
to the goal. Each pilot will drop his/her first marker as close as
possible to the first goal and will then drop a second marker as close
as possible to a target which will be displayed upwind of the Hare after
landing.
PilotDeclared
Goal
The
pilot declares a goal in writing and deposits his declaration in a lock
box before the flight. The pilot must navigate to his/her predetermined
goal (typically a road intersection) and drop a marker. The race
winner is the pilot with the marker closest to the declared goal.