Asia 360 - 15th Philippine Hot Air Balloon Festival (3/3)

As I wandered through the crowd on the last day of the hot air balloon festival, it was evident that both young and old had happy memories to take home with them from the event. Their excitement during the aerobatics was obvious from their reactions. So was their amusement as they cheered when face-painted and colorfully costumed youngsters marched and performed amazing tricks to the beat of kettledrums. So was their delight as they clapped every time a plane hit its target in the balloon bursting segment.

There was also a different kind of joy, one I've observed gleaming in the eyes of fathers, mothers, grandparents as they carried their young ones on their shoulders, took pictures of them riding in an airplane, taught them how to fly kites, queued with them to the hotdog stands and portable toilets, and dreamed with them being captains of their own planes someday. If that wasn't rewarding enough, the bliss was apparent on the faces of the children too. I'm sure that those happy memories will last a lifetime in the heads of some, and indelibly etched in the souls of everyone forever.

Certainly there is pride in the hearts of the pilots from being among the privileged few who are able to do what they do, more so from being able to impart happiness to the others in their own way. If only momentarily, they turned into artists who find delight in seeing others appreciate their craft. It must be a pleasurable thing too, to be able to express the joy of flying, without the use of words, to people who will never be able to fully comprehend it. The feeling of being able to provide inspiration to those who aspire to fly someday must also be priceless.

It was a delightful experience for me too, this being my first. I have my own happy memories to take home with me. Just thinking about them makes me smile and want to come back.

I will certainly make plans to watch it again someday. There would be the children to take and grandchildren too. ;)











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Asia 360 - 15th Philippine Hot Air Balloon Festival (2/3)

The balloons came in different colors, sizes and shapes. Among those that stood out were those that came in the shape of a beer bottle, a house, a turtle and a star.

While the hot air balloons were the highlight of the event, that wasn't all there was to it. The air show also featured skydivers jumping out of planes in their colorful parachutes, daredevils performing aerobatics using light aircraft, aviators parading various ultralight planes and slingers testing their aim in balloon bursting.



This is one of the ultralights.

One of the helicopters during this segment where the pilots show of their skills in hovering just a few inches above the ground and keeping it stable for about a minute.

Here's a member of the Philippine Army making a perfect landing. Some inevitably tumbled during their landing.

Another perfect landing from another daredevil. Notice the different type of parachute used.

Here's a free spirit manuevering a powered paraglider.

Hired performers wearing colorful costumes and carrying equally colorful scarecrows and eagles on sticks above the head commingle with the crowd.

Here are some of the pilots posing for the camera.

To be continued...

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Asia 360 - 15th Philippine Hot Air Balloon Festival (1/3)

It was a little more than an hour’s worth of drive from Manila. The freeways once again befitted being called as such for traffic was, as expected, very light during those wee hours of the night. The destination was Clark, Pampanga, a former US Air base that now boasts of an international airport and a free port zone. The occasion: the 15th Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

We got there before 5 a.m., way before the balloonists started setting up. Already the place was packed and a feeling of excitement seemed to abound in the air. Eager photography enthusiasts had already chosen their spots and erected their tripods behind the fence bordering the open field. People lined up behind food counters to buy breakfast. People had assembled near the gates in the hopes of getting out into the field, where all the action would later take place.

We ordered hotdogs ourselves and waited for a few minutes before heading into the open field just as pick-up trucks and jeeps arrived with their huge baskets in tow.

The balloonists clearly follow a process in setting up their balloons. We'd say watching them get ready is as exciting as watching the balloons go up in the air. Here's the sequence we've observed:

• the envelope is spread out in the field


• a fan is used to fill the envelope with air


• the basket is laid down on one side and is attached to the envelope


• the burners are attached


• the envelopes are hooked up to the basket


• the burners are ignited and the air inside the enveloped is gradually warmed up


• finally, the basket is turned upright.

After that, the basket is ready to be loaded with passengers. Then, the countdown to takeoff begins!









More photos in the next entries.

To be continued...

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