Memories from Germany!  By Brian Critelli

 As many of you know I have been actively pursuing my Gas Balloon rating.  It is not a difficult thing to achieve based on the current FAR requirements.  2 flights with an instructor at least one hour in duration 60 days prior to application.

Seems simple enough but in the USA this is a very challenging process, due to the fact there are maybe 15 active gas pilots in the USA with most of them only flying once or twice per year.   When you couple that with the fact most of the US pilots use helium as their lifting gas getting two flights within 60 days almost impossible to arrange unless you have a load of cash to spend.  Currently it cost about $5000 to fill one 1000 m3 gas galloon with Helium.  I can confidently say from anyone’s perspective this is a lot of money.  But there are other ways to skin a cat….  With a little planning and effort those interested in learning to fly gas balloons can achieve their goal by arranging to fly balloons in the gas ballooning capital of the world Germany!   Germany currently has 4 or 5 balloon clubs where all of their members fly gas balloons as their primary aircraft.   There are about 100 active gas balloons in Germany.  I went to fly with Mr. Willie Eimers who is a three time Gordon Bennett champion.  I met him several times at the America’s Challenge Gas Balloon race at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta over the last 3 years.  He helped Phil MacNutt and Greg Winker of Austin get their gas rating.  Willie has trained many USA pilots and suggested that I make the effort to come to Germany and fly.  With help from Phil MacNutt we arranged a week of balloon flying.   Willie is one of the most experienced gas balloon pilots in Germany.

From L to R:  Willie Eimers, Phil MacNutt and Me.

As the early part of 2004 passed without any hot air flying I was really looking forward to my trip.  When the day came to get on the plane I could not believe my luck.  The weather forecast I had received for the week indicated a 30% – 60% rain all week.  The bad weather we had experience here all year now was chasing me over to Germany.    After a long flight and decent through the rain clouds into Düsseldorf Airport the first thing that I noticed is Germany is very green.  The area I was in was hilly and heavily forested with areas cleared for agricultural crops.  The most striking thing from the air I saw was many yellow crop fields.

 I later learned this was a flowering plant they use to manufacture synthetic diesel fuel.   In Germany gas is currently at $6.00 per gallon.  I found it painful to pay $60 for a ½ of a tank of gas in the rental car.  The rest of the area was either freeway or multifamily housing that was very densely packed and there were power lines everywhere.   They also had many windmills around the area.

My first impression of the flying area was it was not a good place to fly.  But this was totally incorrect.  We drove out of town about 10 miles and launched near a small town called Erkenswick.  This is a rural area that the local club rents a field from a landowner to launch their balloons.  This field has a Hydrogen pipeline in it that they attach their filling hoses to in order to inflate their balloon.  They just call the factory and they turn on the flow of gas.  The area is beautiful with a variety of terrains to fly over. 

We were extremely fortunate during my stay in Germany.  Phil and I were able to fly three times during a rainy week.  Their forecast was correct it rained every day but one while we were there.  Fortunately the breaks between the weather allowed us to fly a total of 15 hours in a variety of conditions.  We flew two gas balloons during our training a 1000 m3 and a 500 m3.   I personally liked the 500 m3 balloon.  It was light responsive and fun to fly.  It comfortably holds 3-4 people.  The bigger balloon will hold 6-7 easily. I learned a tremendous amount about flying gas balloons in a very short time.  I am still amazed how different gas ballooning is compared to hot air balloons.  Gas balloons perform very well in high winds, thermals, the clouds.  It is a great system. 

On the days we did not fly we made day trips to other parts of Germany and to the Netherlands. On Wednesday we made a day trip to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.   Amsterdam is about 2 hours from where we were staying in Germany.   I was amazed at how different the landscape was just 30 miles from our hotel.    As soon as you cross the boarder there are very few trees, all farmland and the area is very flat and with a noticeable lack of power lines.   The Netherlands buries virtually all of their power lines.  The area has many waterways, locks and a lot of boat traffic.   We stopped in a little town outside of Amsterdam in an effort to get close to one of their famous windmills.  It was a spectacular area. All the houses were adorned with flowers and flowering trees with small canals that lead back to the river.  Some of the houses had thatched roofs. When we arrived at the windmill, the houses along the banks all had wooden boats along the dock areas.  It was spectacular.  It was right out of a postcard.  We went on to Amsterdam.  It is a very large city.  We had not been warned that there is virtually no parking in that city. Parking is by permit only and the streets are very narrow and very congested with automobiles and people on bicycles.  Once in the city we went to the main square where the Queens palace is located.  Tourists from all over the world were in the square taking advantage of the restaurants and shopping area around the palace.  Many of you may already know that Amsterdam is famous for its red light district.  It is a very interesting place if you have never been there.  Prostitution is legal and so is marijuana.  The working women of Amsterdam are displayed in the large bay windows on their building showing their best Victoria Secrets outfits.  Between the lovely displays of women are both drinking and smoking bars for those interested in those green cigarettes.  You can fulfill any of your vices on just a few of the streets in this city.  Don’t get the wrong impression there were many other areas to shop and eat and visit that were not in this well known area.  The city itself is beautiful with all the old buildings and waterways. 

 On Friday we took the train to Köln Germany and visited the Dom Cathedral.  It is a beautiful church that has been around for a very long time.  It is worth a visit if you are going to Germany. 

All in all my trip to Germany was way to short.  I did get enough flying in for one week’s time. My only regret was I wish I had more time to visit both countries.   Well Maybe next year!

P.S.

Ballooning in Germany is suffering the same issues that ballooning in America is facing.  Rising costs, lack of new pilots etc.  I was told the German pilots are required to carry 3 million in insurance by the government.   It costs them an average of $3000 for their coverage.  Hot Air insurance is higher than gas balloon insurance in Germany.