CELEBRATING 50 YEARS Early Fiesta Gas Ballooning BY JOHN C. DAVIS, IV, CHAIRMAN, AIBF HERITAGE COMMITTEE Reprinted from the 2004 Balloon Fiesta program he Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is known principally as a hot air balloon event. However, in recent years its long-distance gas balloon races have gained growing fame, prestige, and popularity. Although the first America’s Challenge distance race for gas balloons wasn’t held until 1995, gas balloon races and exhibitions have been Ta part of the Balloon Fiesta almost since its beginning. PHO T The first Balloon Fiesta gas flight was made in the O: BILL event’s second year, in 1973, at the end of the First World Championships. Ed Yost, the Clerk of the Course for the W AL Championships (the rough equivalent of Balloonmeister), T made a gas balloon flight on the final Sunday. Ed had ON FL brought a polyethylene balloon with him and offered rides YNT to six other people for $1,000 apiece. After a flight from the State Fairgrounds – at that time, the Balloon Fiesta’s launch site -- the balloon was cut up into pieces and sold to the spectators for $ .50 each. In 1975, during the Second World Championships, German aeronaut “Jo Jo” Maes flew a gas balloon from the Simms Field launch site. After that, the Balloon Fiesta took a break from gas ballooning until October of 1981. With a resurgence of gas balloon flying in the US, the Balloon Fiesta decided to sponsor a gas balloon race that would be part of the BFA National Championship Series. The competition, a Hare and Hound, was scheduled to take off on Tuesday, 6 October, but was delayed by weather until Wednesday. That afternoon 16 balloons followed the Hare balloon, Dame Blanche, piloted by Event Director John Davis, Carol Rymer Davis and ABOVE: “Jo Jo” Maes takes off from Simms Field in 1975, the Balloon Fiesta’s second gas balloon flight. Opposite: The first gas balloon competition at Balloon Fiesta, in 1981. ® 190 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta