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 THE BALLOON CLUB OF
 NSW & ACT
Balloon Meets
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Balloons performing in 2007 Sydney Festival event "The sky orchestra"

The Club holds a number of balloon meetings each year. This year we are planning to get more adventurous and explore further afield by organising balloon meets in more remote locations.
Attending a balloon meet is a great opportunity for a new member to meet balloonists and to get involved.

Setting up for flight

ACT member Geoff Howe performs his pre-flight checks. This balloon is a 4 person balloon and the minimum crew would be the passengers and the retrieve car driver.
It's a team thing.

Some balloons require a lot of people to operate. Here the passengers of a large commercial balloon are packing up the 290 kg envelope of a 16 passenger balloon.

Once you have met some balloonists you will know how to proceed. Your options are:

  • To join a crew. This would provide you with opportunities to have the occasional flight and to have fun.
  • To purchase your own balloon. Sports balloons cost approximately $45,000 equipped to fly. But then you will have to get yourself a licence to fly.............
  • Become a pilot. Balloons are licenced aircraft and to become a pilot you have to undergo a course of instruction with an instructor. Your can either use your own balloon or hire a balloon. The costs are similar to those to obtain a licence to fly a small air plane.

More.....Flying for fun

The Balloon Club of NSW & ACT