Fly the Balloon First
by JOE ZVADA
I think competition pilots, especially pilots new to competition, spend far too much time attempting to improve on the tech side (mapping software, GPS) and not enough on flying. The quickest way to more points in your final score is by improving your most basic of flying skills. For most, these skills need to be constantly tended to through practice ensuring one is always on the top of their game.
In my BFA Ballooning magazine article this month I outlined a few of the skills I focus on to improve my flying. Read the article posted below and then watch a few video examples demonstrating the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to points gained or lost due to a pilots flying skills.
In my BFA Ballooning magazine article this month I outlined a few of the skills I focus on to improve my flying. Read the article posted below and then watch a few video examples demonstrating the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to points gained or lost due to a pilots flying skills.
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This video is a sampling of six flights in September 2015 showing the progression of learning and getting comfortable in a new balloon.
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An example of what I refer to as a quick correction from the Findlay, Oh competition in August 2015.
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This was one of my first flights in the Zing Racer and also one of my first flights of the year in 2014. The combination made for an ugly approach to a target in the Coshocton, Ohio competition.
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Hitting the ground is as good as handing points back to your competitors. I avoid it at all cost, even if that means leveling off higher than you'd prefer, the points lost by less accurate throw from a higher altitude will always be less than points lost as a result of hitting the ground.
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Flying my old round balloon here in Longview, TX a few years ago. On the second target of the morning, I couldn't get the balloon to descend through a small shear. Instead of forcing it beyond what I was comfortable with, I leveled off high and delivered a good throw.
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This was the last event of my first season in a racer and on the first target I felt like I was finally getting it dialed in with a smooth correction and a good throw. Then the approach to the second target confirmed I still had a lot to learn.
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I love watching Yudai fly. Here he is at the 2015 Saga Championship with a correction of just 50ft or so to deliver a dead center drop.
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I've learned a lot from this video - we examined it in last months article on improving. For this months topic, watch Yudai's approach (flying the yellow balloon that says "The Racer" on it). He finds himself too low and sliding left of the goal, he executes a very good quick correction and a great score.
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