Lead Example By Leanne Hoffmann Utah County Journal (1986) Take a crisp, early morning with a beautiful sunrise; a clear blue sky with an almost imperceptible breeze; combine it with a big wicker basket and an attached piece of colorful material; add some excitement and a lot of hot air--and what do you have? Heaven. I know because I was there. A few days ago, America's Freedom Balloon Fest Committee invited local media personnel and public safety officials to a special meeting designed to help foster a basic understanding of ballooning. The balloon fest comes to Provo in conjunction with America's Freedom Festival and this year, the committee wanted to assure people on the ground watching those "big balloons in the ski," that ballooning is a fun, safe sport. Quote Example "Some people panic when they see a balloon landing, thinking is is going to crash," said Curt Bramble, vice chairman of the Balloon fest committee. "The see gaping holes int eh tops and sides of balloons and quite naturally, assume there is trouble. In reality the holes are for control purposes. People on the ground hear the roar of the propane burners and think the ballooning is about to blow up. Not so." Federal Aviation Association examiner, Stuart Roberts, who has been flying for 16 years, said that out of all the flying sports, ballooning is the most safe. It's much more hazardous to drive a car," the told the group from his perch on the back of a pick-up truck. "If there's a car wreck they print a small story and the name of those involved. But if a balloon has an accident, the media dwells on it for weeks." |
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