Pellissippi State Hot Air Balloon Festival

September 25 & 26, 2009

Weather Permitting

Up, up and away... or not

It's a brightly sunny, beautiful day. The balloons participating in the 2009 Pellissippi State Hot Air Balloon Festival look ready for liftoff. But they're not going anywhere. Why?

The sport of hot air ballooning requires precise atmospheric conditions in order for the balloons to fly. And though the weather may appear perfect to onlookers, the professional balloonists are the people who must assess the safety risks of lifting off in anything other than "ballooning weather."

It's fairly obvious that the balloonists will not take off if it's pouring rain at the festival. But there are additional conditions that factor into their decision to stay on the ground or hit the air:

• Weather forecast - if the forecast includes rain or storms in the area, pilots will not lift off, even if the poor weather is not yet apparent at the balloon site.
  
  
• Visibility - words such as "hazy" in a weather notice will keep the balloons on the ground, as requirements for ballooning are one to three miles of clear visibility.
  
  
• Winds - THE single most important consideration in ballooning! Professionals must consider not only the winds at the surface (what we "feel" while walking around at the festival) but also winds at higher altitudes. Balloons require light, stable winds of four to six miles per hour. Maximum wind speeds for safe ballooning are eight to 10 miles per hour. That's a small margin of flying opportunity.

Balloonists spend much of their time collecting, observing and analyzing weather reports to ensure safe operation of their crafts. The beauty of hot air ballooning is more than just the balloons themselves - it's also the expertise shown by those who pilot them.

For more information about the festival, or for sponsorship opportunities, call the Pellissippi State Foundation at (865) 694-6400.