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37th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta marks 225th anniversary of first manned balloon flight


By WcP.Story.Teller - Posted on 09 October 2008

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

(quote)

Launched in 1972, the Albuquerque balloon festival draws enthusiasts from all over the world. This year marks the 225th anniversary of hot air balloon flights, with participants representing 42 states and 24 countries. Ballooning has come a long way from the first "flying machines" in France in 1783, which flew a duck, a rooster and a lamb in a smoke-filled balloon. The first human passengers were carried 3,000 feet on November 21, 1783.

Dawn Patrol at Albuquerque balloon festival

Amongst the most popular events is a mass ascension, in which all participants rise into the sky in two waves. During the Dawn Patrol, above, pilots take off before sunrise and appraise wind conditions for the others. The festival lasts nine days. This year it runs from October 4 through October 12. Albuquerque has a long association with ballooning, going back more than a century.

local wind phenomenon known as the Albuquerque Box

Because of a local wind phenomenon known as the "Albuquerque Box," the area is ideally suited to a balloon festival. In October of every year, the wind follows a predictable pattern, blowing northerly at higher altitudes and southerly at lower altitudes, allowing for a smooth navigation.

smiley

Other events at the festival include balloon races and The Fiesta Challenge, in which contestants attempt to drop a marker closest to a target.

(unquote)

Photos courtesy of Christian Peterson / Getty and Craig Fritz / AP

Original Source: Time and MarketWatch

Official Site: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

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