by Yasmina Platt
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2024 Digital Issue
Balloon Fiesta is a special and colorful event that happens every October in Albuquerque, New Mexico! It’s a time when we convert from flight crew to ground crew and are often just simply spectators!
Most mornings start with an early morning glow and end with a mass ascension, where the (often) blue sky is filled with balloons. No picture does it justice! Balloons surround you. You have balloons in front of you, behind you, on both sides, and over you!
In between, you can see a drone light show, a dawn patrol show, skydivers, balloon competitions, remote control (RC) balloons, and/or flyovers of different kinds.
Most evenings involve some of the same activities and end with a pretty amazing fireworks show. On the last Saturday, there is a concert in the middle of the day as well.
There are balloons of all sizes, colors, and shapes. They come from all corners of the country and many international destinations (especially Brazil and Europe).
At most other aviation events, people are behind a fence, and rightfully so, to watch the aircraft start up, taxi, takeoff, and land. At Balloon Fiesta, everybody can be in the middle of it all, throughout the entire event. It’s pretty awesome!
Wondering what else is unique about Albuquerque that makes ballooning so awesome? The “Albuquerque Box.” That’s the term used to describe the city’s unique wind pattern. It causes hot air balloons to make the shape of a box over the field when flying in early October. Ground winds will make balloons fly southbound (following or paralleling the Rio Grande River) and, as the pilots climb up 500 to 1,000 feet, they catch a northern wind back to the field.
If you’re lucky, the Gordon Bennett Race may also start in Albuquerque. The winning team is the one that flies the farthest distance from the launch site. If the Gordon Bennett Race is not going on, the America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race that was modeled after it, might be.
We’ve always parked our motorhome in one of the “dirt areas turned campgrounds” for the event, where there are at least as many RVs as there are balloons. It’s incredible! The views out the window in the morning are quite spectacular.
Attending or participating in the event requires prior planning because lodging, in particular, becomes scarce and/or very expensive! If you’re flying in, I highly suggest the Double Eagle II Airport (KAEG). It is only about 15 miles from Balloon Fiesta Park.
If you can, bring your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, neighbors’ kids with you… it’s fun to watch them enjoy themselves, go from balloon to balloon picking up cards about the balloons and pilots, and learn science through real-world application.
Green (Hatch), Red, or Christmas? (If you’re going to visit New Mexico, you need to know which chili you want!) Fly safe, fly often!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Yasmina Platt’s full-time job has her planning the future of aviation infrastructure for Joby’s electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. She also writes an aviation travel blog called “Air Trails” (www.airtrails.weebly.com), in addition to articles on pilot destinations for Midwest Flyer Magazine. Pilots can locate articles Yasmina has written by going to www.MidwestFlyer.com and typing “Yasmina” in the search box, or by going to the “Archives” section, then “Columns,” then “Destinations.”
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this column is the expressed opinion of the author only, and readers are advised to seek the advice of their personal flight instructor and others, and refer to the Federal Aviation Regulations, FAA Aeronautical Information Manual, and instructional materials before attempting any procedures discussed herein.
