July 13, 2012 Passengers: Christin Knight-Stanner, Meghan & Trevor Stanner, Don Chambers Today we have a family from the Portland area and I call for the Keizer site as the start point with winds forecast out of the north and fairly light. We are light in the “gang” department with only 2 sets of boots on the ground but we get the gear out and pumped up in fine style. We get standing and we are missing Christin, then she appears out of the little blue house and we board all for the final briefing and radio check. We are off the lot and start the drift off to the south as planned. We will cross over Keizer for the first half of the flight and I notice that we are a bit faster at altitude that predicted as we have a huge low pressure building south of us on the CA border. We are heading for the Parkway and will pass over the pond by the new Capitol Chev/Subaru then on over Oregon School for the Deaf and get a look at the new “very green” boys dorm with the grass roof. We continue on into Salem getting a bit of a push to the east so my first LZ (landing zone) shot will be North High. When I drop down a west push shoves me off and the next shot will be the OSH (kookos nest) before we get to the BIG house. Now I get a shove from the east and we will miss this one too. Meghan looks a bit worried until I tell her we will use the airport this morning. I radio the tower as we enter the pattern on the end of runway 13 and we have permission to land. My first thought is to use the grassy area just next to the “north” hangers and as I set the shot the surface winds (at 7 MPH) shift to due south and the landing will be ON THE RUNWAY today. I have called in my change and Cindy gives us the go ahead and the gang is on the tarmac watching. We approach the runway and I touch down on the asphalt right after the last set of lights and we slide to a gentle stop after about 100 feet of “wheels down” as the fixed wing guys say. The gang is waiting to the side and they pull up to slide us to the middle of the runway for the take down, deflate and pack up. We get the bag sit done, then loaded up for the trip back to City Hall for the picnic. I get the story started, the toast is done and the certificates are presented. PASSENGER COMMENTS: Christin: “What a wonderful flight. Beautiful views, sun shinning from the lift off out all the way to the ‘lucky’ landing on runway 13 at the airport. Growing up in Michigan I have watched the balloons fly and always wanted to go up in one. It was fantastic to share this with my kids and fiancé!” A BIG thank you to today’s Crew (I can’t get in the air or back on the ground without’um) Cecil, Beth TRACK Average Speed: 6.0 MPH Distance Flown: 7.0 Miles Websystem hosting provided by WolfPk. | Site Map Copyright © 2003-2017 Balloon Flying Service of Oregon, Inc. Legal Information All Rights Reserved.