There’s nothing quite like ballooning!From a distance, it looks exciting and romantic.Up close it is just as exciting in addition to being an aerobic activity, both tough and satisfying.Once infected with the ballooning virus, the thrill of successfully inflating and chasing two tons of delicately enclosed air drifting across the sky makes the early morning rising and hard work well worth it.
A balloon pilot and flight crew enjoy a symbiotic relationship; neither of them working alone is able to produce a balloon flight.But the combination of a good pilot and a well-trained flight crew, functioning efficiently as a unit, can provide a safe flight from inflation through pack up.Flight operations is a never-ending education in human relations, navigation, mental and physical fortitude, and naturally, aeronautics.No two flights will ever be alike, and those who experience these balloon adventures will have memories and stories for a lifetime. As a member of the PPBC Flight Operations Team, you are a valuable ingredient toward the success of the Company.Projecting a “Professional” attitude when dealing with customers, prospective customers, landowners and the general public promotes the company in a positive way. Historically, the Flight Operations Teams has been called ‘the Chase Crew’.Successful LTA operations involve a much broader perspective than ‘the chase’.Crew who think like ‘chase’ perform that way:defined by the truck, follow behind, react to events, and arrive after landing.Crews operating in this mode are ‘reacting’ to the situation.A successful flight operation involves crew who see the bigger picture:the whole process beginning with arrival for the day’s flight through the post flight celebration. Pacific Peaks promotes a Team concept in all Flight Operations.Working together, knowing what tasks need to be performed, knowing the changing situation, and taking the initiative to ‘do what must be done’ will insure a positive flight operations experience for all involved. Contact us to join our volunteer team.Experience is not required; we’ll train you.
