Balloons take flight, finally

The rains came and the rains will come again, but Thursday evening the hot-air balloons trumped the weather.

After storms washed away flights all day Wednesday and again Thursday morning, officials of the 2009 Balloon Federation of America U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship found a brief window; Championship Director Maury Sullivan called two tasks.

Despite heavy gray clouds and a threat of sprinkles, 54 pilots launched north of Battle Creek and flew west to an "X" in a field near North Avenue and Halbert Road and then to a target they chose themselves farther west. Targets of choice were required to be intersections within a designated area.

Meanwhile, 13 fiesta pilots launched from Kellogg Community College and flew to a target either at Northwestern Middle School or Lamora Park Elementary School, both on Battle Creek's north side.

As the competitive pilots flew over the cut hay field and dropped down to the target, some spectators lined North Avenue for a look.

"It's just great," said Brenda Harrison of Battle Creek, leaning against a car. "She (a friend) called me and said come over and I said I am turning off the stove and I am coming."

Harrison said she used to be part of a balloon club and has crewed before and still likes to watch the balloons.

"It's really nice to have it (the championship) in Battle Creek. I enjoy the other one (Battle Creek's annual summer balloon festival) and this is nice, too. I can just come out of the house and watch."

Harrison, like a few balloon pilots, was surprised to learn about the Thursday afternoon flight, given the state of the weather.

"I was amazed," she said. "It was raining when I came home from work."

Weather officer Brad Temeyer told pilots at their 5:30 p.m. briefing that he saw "isolated bands of light rain, rather light sprinkles" just west of Battle Creek "but that will continue to weaken and I am not expecting more than sprinkles."

Sullivan said he believed the weather window was wide enough for the pilots to fly safely before more rain, expected after dark, moved through the Battle Creek area.

Pilots must fly twice and a total of three tasks, according to BFA rules, for the event to be a valid championship.

Sullivan has seven possible flights before the event ends Sunday morning, and rain is expected to force cancellation of this morning's flight, Temeyer said.

Scores from the Thursday flight were not available at press time.

More public activities are scheduled tonight and Saturday night at the KCC campus between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Food vendors and music are scheduled along with a balloon glow each night at 8:30 p.m. Parking and admission is free.

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