While entertainment was on three stages during the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (October 1 – 9, 2022) this week in New Mexico, the real show was in the sky with 648 registered balloon pilots. We were fortunate to go on a hot air balloon ride with WhirlAway Balloon Pilot, U.S. Navy Veteran and Former Delta Airlines Pilot Jim Lynch on the Opening Day (Saturday, October 1, 2022), during the Mass Ascension. And at this event, the pilots were the celebrities.
Jim’s wife Nancy told us, “Our job is to put on a great show.”
For the past 31 years, Pilot Jim Lynch has been a hot air balloon pilot at this annual event that is the biggest balloon festival in the world! Traveling from Ocala, Florida, Jim had a dedicated team of volunteers who came from Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Florida to help with the launch, landing and tailgate. And wow, they created a thrilling experience flying high above the crowds and Rio Grande river on a perfect blue sky day.
For this event of a lifetime, the Opening Day balloon fiesta morning schedule included:
3:15 am – Wake Up Call for Park and Ride – Yes, you read that time right. Ballooning is an early morning or evening sport because that is when the wind and weather conditions are more stable. And with hundreds of thousands of people attending from around the world, we chose to park at a church, where we went through security and then got on a Park and Ride school bus to the main event area.
5:45 am – Aerial Light Show, sponsored by Sandia Resort & Casino – This was a spectacular drone show that reminded us of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony. The drones formed symbolic shapes, including a map of the world with a hot air balloon riding by, red and green chiles, New Mexico’s Zia sun symbol cross (which originated with the Indians of Zia Pueblo in ancient times) and more.
6:30 am – Krispy Kreme Morning Glow – Watching the balloons light up before dawn was another incredible site to see. We stood up on the KOB NBC Affiliate media stand to get an aerial view of the morning glow, and watched several balloons take off above us in the dark.
6:45 am – National Anthem sung by The Choir from the Cathedral of St. John
7:00 am – Mass Ascension – This balloon lift off was the big event for Opening Day on Saturday, October 1, 2022, with 648 registered balloon pilots taking flight.
We especially loved the special shape balloons. Some of our favorites included Smokey the Bear, Humpty Dumpty, Yoda, When Pigs Fly, Fox, Halloween pumpkin, and many more.
WhirlAway Hot Air Balloon Ride “Show”
For our balloon ride with Pilot Jim Lynch on WhirlAway, there were three phases: the pre-launch, the ride and then the tailgate afterwards with an initiation for Carol M. Highsmith from the Library of Congress because it was her first hot air balloon ride.
Phase 1 – 6:30-8:00am – Pre-Launch – During the pre-launch, we met Jim and his team. They filled the balloon with hot air, and slowly lifted it up for us to jump inside. We were in the second lift off group, and Jim told us to stay close because once the balloon was ready to go, you have to jump in quickly. And while the crew literally held the balloon on the ground, we climbed in for our ride. There is no door in the basket, so to get in, you literally have to put your foot in a little opening, and swing your leg over. It’s sort of like getting on a horse, and the adrenaline is pumping.
Phase 2 – 8:09 – 8:39 am – Flying High – When the crew let go, the WhirlAway balloon took off, and it went up very fast. It was thrilling to wave to the crowds below with a big smile as they cheered and waved back. There was a feeling of “pure joy” in the air that made this experience even more special. Looking down, you could see huge crowds (the balloon fiesta gets approximately 750,000 total attendees over 9 days).
When asked how high we went, Jim shared, “We reached an altitude of 7,800 feet, which is approximately 2,800 feet above the ground.” In comparison, nearby Santa Fe has a high altitude of 7,198 ft above sea level, “and is the highest capital city and third highest city in America.”
When asked how far the hot air balloon traveled, Jim explained, “We went North for about 3 miles, and then came back about 2 miles before landing.”
What was also really exciting was seeing the hot air balloons fly and land near the Rio Grande river.
Phase 3 – 9:30am – 12:00pm – Tailgate Initiation – After landing in a dirt yard that had a big “X” marked on an open area close to Alameda Avenue, the home owners came running out to help hold down the balloon. The crew was not there – yet. Eventually the balloon fell over because the wind picked it up. We played twister on top of each other, and then crawled out. When the crew arrived, they packed up the balloon and we headed back in the truck for the tailgate initiation.
The crew continued their “show” with fun snacks, champagne and an initiation for Carol for her first ride. The special ceremonies involved champagne cheers, special WhirlAway pins from Jim, hot air ballooning history, and a signed bottle for Carol.
When asked about what it meant to be a pilot at the biggest balloon festival for 31 years, Jim replied, “Ballooning is a wonderful sport. Flying at fiesta is a great experience with so many other balloons and friends. It is a great adventure, and it is a privilege to put a smile on so many people’s faces.”
This is Jim’s last year as a pilot at this event, and that made us even more honored to be on his Opening Day ride.
Many thanks and cheers to Pilot Jim Lynch, his generous WhirlAway team of volunteers, and to everyone who organized and ran this 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. And if you’ve never been, make sure you add this event to your bucket list and go next year!
