There is nothing quite like a balloon safari. There’s absolute piece of immense views, muted colors and crisp fresh air. Balloon safari is like a dream come true. Precautions to be taken while on a balloon safari are discussed below and must be taken seriously to ensure a dream come true experience.
Perfect Time
Make sure you don’t fly the balloons in winds that are greater than 15mph. Balloons will go where winds take them and on that high wind you can land in a dangerous destination. The calm African mornings are the perfect times for balloon safaris, at this time, the pilot can choose both his height and direction hence have a good control of the balloon.
The Pilot
To pilot a balloon, it is necessary to gain a pilot’s license exactly as with other forms of aircraft. There are set number of hours of instructions and the same theoretical exams to pass as any fixed wing pilot. The balloon pilots must also keep log books, carry out pre-flight checks and monitor weather conditions to ensure safe balloon safari flying. In addition, the balloon pilots must undergo extensive professional training and must have international experience.
Clothing
Make sure you wear or carry warm cloths to keep yourself warm from the cold. Warm clothing is recommended because it is always cold in the early mornings. But, travelers can always dress comfortably and depending on the grounds temperature though high heeled shoes are not recommended.
Age
Children under seven years, pregnant women and elderly people are not allowed to go for balloon safaris as the flight might prove dangerous for their health. The high speed according to the wind can cause heart attack especially to pregnant women which might lead to their deaths.
The Balloons
The balloons can last about 400 flying hours in the fierce African sun. This only means they must be replaced after every 2 years failure to which they can burst when high in the air causing accidents.
HUMAN ERROR
Ballooning world is a small world and most of the accidents that happen during balloon safari is due to human error, this is why balloon pilots need to be properly trained to handle all the petty issues encountered in the safari trip. An accident once occurred due to the pilot’s error, when he was about to land he dropped the rope to his crew to pull the balloon towards its landing spot but unknown to him, the rope line got entangled in one of the gas hoses which snapped as the crew was pulling it. Due to the gas leakage, the burner was ignited causing a huge fire. The pilot and travelers jumped out of the balloon. On loosing the weight, the balloon climbed and the ongoing fire increased its speed until its final explosion.
Comments