Balloon Crew Positions

Before you can join a hot air balloon crew, you must first know about what the various tasks involve. The balloon pilot will normally decide which people will do certain jobs, as some tasks may involve heavy lifting and require a strong person.

The crown line - This person will act as an anchor and stabilize the balloon envelope during inflation. The pilot will usually choose a large and strong person for this job. The crown line individual will use the rope and keep pressure on the balloon as it inflates, until the pilot tells them to come in. The crown line is then given to the pilot and they connect it to the baskets upright.

The throat – This usually consists of two or more crew members that hold the mouth of the balloon open as the fan fills it with cold air. Once the envelope is full with cold air they will then turn the burners on to heat the balloon. The crew members will hold the mouth open till the balloon starts to come upright and places weight on the basket as it stands up.

The Chase Crew – Once the Hot Air Balloon is airborne the chase crew will load up all of the remaining items left at the launch site and then chase the balloon. The driver of the chase vehicle will receive directions from the other crew members and tries to stay ahead of the balloon to assist the pilot on landing.

The Balloon Landing – When the pilot radio’s that they are going to land the balloon crew should be ready to assist. One member will try to locate the landowner and ask their permission to land. When the balloon comes into land the crew positions themselves to the side of the basket, and when it hits the ground they jump on and their added weight stops the balloon. All of the air is expelled from the envelope and all of the items are loaded back into the chase vehicle.

Once this has been completed, champagne and soft drinks are shared with the pilot, passengers, balloon crew and landowner to thank them for helping.