Low balloon raises concerns
A balloon passed within feet of 224 Street homes on Thursday.
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Updated: July 07, 2009 4:07 PM
Langley Regional Airport manager George Miller said that the pilot of a hot air balloon which passed low enough over houses in Murrayville that it frightened residents has been told to find another location to land.
A Sundance Ballons hot air balloon which had taken off from the Highway 1/264 Street interchange, landed in a field next to the Township’s Operations Centre on 224 Street at about 7:40 a.m. on Thursday.
Some 224 Street residents were alarmed that the balloon was so low. In fact, it was so low that it was possible to clearly see the faces of the passengers riding in the basket.
As it approached from the west, one resident was so concerned that she was about the evacuate sleeping occupants.
Another resident estimated the balloon was between 10 and 20 feet above her house.
“There is absolutely no question that he (the pilot) was under control,” Miller said.
“But from my view it was not acceptable where he landed.”
Landing spots have to be pre-cleared, Miller said, “and people around should know about it. You shouldn’t be surprised by a balloon at 7:30 in the morning.”
He said that balloons, which cruise at an altitude of between 700 and 1,000 feet, must avoid conventional air traffic using the airport.
Asked if he was flying too low, the pilot said he was “a little lower and closer to the ground for longer than I like to be.”
He said it was possible that from a homeowner’s perspective, he was “possibly” too low when he passed over the homes.
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