Air Force officer’s hobby is in the wind

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – What may appear, from a distance, to be a dragon belching the flame of a hundred blow torches is really an Air Force officer preparing for flight, but not in what you may expect.

Maj. Kenny Weiner is a transportation planner at U.S. Transportation Command and a C-17 instructor pilot in his day job, but on weekends and much of the time he’s not at work, you can find him planning the next flight – in his hot-air balloon.

“I am a fourth-generation balloon pilot.  Note I did not say ‘hot air’ balloon pilot,” Weiner said.  “My great-grandfather flew gas balloons for Goodyear, helping to train future Navy blimp pilots.  My mother and grandfather started flying hot air balloons in Akron, Ohio in 1982 when I was four or five years old. So I grew up around balloons.”

What started as a hobby quickly became a family business when Weiner’s mother opened a balloon-ride operation in Medina, Ohio.  Weiner said his father, a doctor, was never involved with ballooning.

“In 1993, my family purchased our first special shape balloon,” Weiner said.  “It was a snowman, designed after one of the four images on our balloon called Seasons. That balloon was purple with a snowman, daisy, pumpkin and sunshine on it. We went on to build one shape for each season, Mr. Winter, Ms. Autumn, Sunny Boy and Miss Daisy.

“We spent our summers traveling to various balloon events as the Seasons Hot Air Balloon Team,” Weiner continued.  “We were lucky to have taken the balloons to some amazing places including: the Loire Valley in France, Germany, New Zealand, flights over the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara. We also had a ballooning business in Tampa, Florida and we flew the Disney balloons.”

Weiner joined the Air Force in 2001, but that didn’t end his hobby.  It was just transformed a bit.

“I stopped flying commercially and stopped flying special shapes,” Weiner said.  “Since then, I continue to fly balloons as a hobby and family sport. My balloon is called Independence (Indy for short) and is representative of the American flag. It is 90,000 cubic feet, which is average for balloons.

“My two kids are now part of the sport and I hope they decide to become pilots,” Weiner added. “My five-year-old son, Evan, is already convinced he is my copilot.” 

Weiner’s wife, Hanna, is also involved and often acts as his crew chief.

According to Weiner, a typical flight involves a bit more than inflating the balloon and taking off.

“When I decide to fly, I have to load the balloon into the bed of my pickup truck,” Weiner said.  “My truck has a lift gate on the back, so the 500-pound basket and 250-pound envelope (balloon) are easily loaded. I also have some misc equipment, a cooler with water and champagne.

“I also need a chase crew,” Weiner continued.  “This generally is friends or family that help set up and take down the balloon and chase while I fly.”

Weiner added that take-off location is chosen based on wind direction and since you cannot steer a balloon, you need to be aware of the downwind direction and avoid certain things like controlled airspace and restricted areas.

“In the Midwest, we only fly early morning and late afternoon, when the winds are the lightest,” Weiner said.  “I often take off from my neighborhood in O'Fallon.  After inflating the balloon, I have my passengers, two or three people, climb in the basket, give (them) a safety briefing, heat the balloon to equilibrium, do a last minute safety check and after a few more burns we lift off.

“We always move with the wind,” Weiner continued, although using different winds at different altitudes we can affect what we call ‘steering.’  After 30 to 45 minutes I start looking for suitable landing sites. In light winds, a balloon can be landed just about anywhere. An ideal spot is a clean grassy field.”

Once a suitable landing site is located, gravity takes over.

“Most balloon landings are very gentle and require no help from ground crew,” Weiner said.  “Occasionally in higher winds or in tight spots, the ground crew can help by catching a drop-line or catching the basket to add weight.

“Once down,” Weiner continued, “we deflate the balloon and let the wind push the balloon over with help from a line attached to the top of the balloon called the crown line. Pack up takes 10 to 15 minutes.”

According to Weiner, out-of-pocket costs are between $100-200 per flight, but that doesn’t take into account the amortized costs--cost of the balloon, balloon insurance, a suitable chase vehicle and insurance.

“Typical cost of a new balloon, complete systems are $30-40,000,” Weiner said.  “Most people buy a used system for $10,000 or less for training.  Baskets are often carried over to a new envelope (saving $10,000-15,000) and old balloons can be rebuilt (new fabric in worn out areas) to extend life.”

While Weiner has had many interesting experiences with passengers, including multiple marriage proposals, and while in Europe, he said people will often run outside naked to wave, he has never had a frightful flight.

“I have never been scared in a balloon,” Weiner said.   “And I would add people that are afraid of heights enjoy balloon flights more than anyone else. They are often repeat passengers.

 “There is something distinctive and un-scary about a balloon flight,” Weiner added.  “It is as if you stand on a platform and watch the earth rotate beneath you.”

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