Friday: Arrived at the hotel and registered without any traffic or other hang-ups. Got to dinner and the pilot briefing on time. Weather briefing this year was very good, the Flight Service guys had good on-line tools and projector. Friday night weather was also good; light wind from the East.
Friday Night Pack Up
We launched from mid field about 6:45pm in about 4kt wind. Wind was variable but not predictable so useless for steerage and calmed during the flight. Phil MacNutt was out in front of me about 1 mile. There were a number of possible landing areas off field so I went for them. I got pushed north of the golf course and chose a field next to the elementary school. There were lots of spectators and we encouraged them to attend at the field. Easy landing and chase access through a drugstore parking lot. A good 20-minute start for the festival.
I had one of the sponsors [$50,000 sponsor] as passenger. My GPS was not finding satellites so I just headed to the University of Houston parking lots as a best chance launch site. Wind was expected to shift so I chose an intermediate spot, figuring I could steer some. I tried for the easterly VAD winds at 1000’, but it was calm up there. I ended up too far East by a couple hundred yards for the field target, but a good show for my passenger. Phil MacNutt and Fred Edmiston launched in the area too. On the way in we saw lots of wildlife.
We got a good look at the activity at the field target and the NASA buildings, and then it was on to find Dave and the target from the Hare balloon. On the way there was Clear Lake and the morning boaters. We talked and talked but never got any Bloody Marys. It was dry over Clear Lake, ‘Cheers’ but no drinks. I saw the ‘Hare’ target late but got a throw that stayed on land. I think Fred did better with his throw. A bunch of CTBA pilots landed before crossing the lake.
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NASA Balloon Field
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NASA/JSC Complex, and on to Clear Lake |
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Over Clear Lake and ‘Hare’ Target |
Then it was an effort to find an opening for landing. We stayed channeled over the creek at the south end of the Clear Lake bowl. Beautiful birds, Great Blue Herons and Ducks, pretty green lawns, but never in reach. I finally found a place Southwest of Main and Egret Bay in League City. Landed in a street to the delight of the families. Fred Edmiston and a couple of other balloons landed just a little further south.
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Landing in League City |
Saturday Night: ‘Was almost late to pilot briefing. Weather update didn’t include a key item, a sharp direction change that would catch some folks in the air and cause interesting landings. I launched next to Sam Edwards in a NASA parking lot and had a short flight, landing just past the hazardous material area in the field where I had seen a deer herd that morning. Phil McNutt and Dick Goss launched just a little later than me from the same lot and were sent to the edge of Armand Bayou, but landed ok.
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Saturday Night |
Sunday: Storms in the night caused Sunday activities to be canceled. I took the Superintendent of League City Schools to the high school parking lot. We tried to tether but the wind was too much. Still, I got my envelope dry.
