Local Bally man Bert Padelt and his wife Joanie, air balloon enthusiasts and experts have done it again.
Their balloon ‘Beyond’ took third place in this year’s Gordon Bennett Race, also referred to as the Olympics of balloon racing. Team America flew ‘Beyond’ from Switzerland to Spain over the course of 42 hours, covering nearly 1,400 kilometers.
Though Padelt and his balloons are no stranger to the winner’s circle;he has won numerous competitions over the years and his balloons hold world records with Federation Aeronautic International (FAI).
What inspires a man towards flight?
For Padelt, his passion for flying began as a child learning about aviation from his father. His love was re-inspired after reading a book as a teen about the civil war and the use of hot air balloons. As a younger man Padelt apprenticed for a balloon manufacturer and it was there that he learned the art and skills required to create award winning balloons.
Since then Bert has been going where the wind takes him, even flying into the heart of his wife Joanie, also an air balloon pilot.
Padelt describes himself as a conservative racer, just happy to be up there. He explains the beauty of flying and his favorite: flying at night. Above the fog and pollution, Padelt describes the shooting stars as brighter than that of passing headlights on the highway. He also emphasized the silence of the night. ‘It is then, that I really wish everyone could be up there with me in the basket,’ said Padelt.
Having travelled the throughout the world, there are not many places Bert and his balloons haven’t been.However, Padelt insists that of all the places he has flown-there is no place as beautiful to see from the sky than the Eastern Pennsylvania area, except maybe Switzerland.
For those inspired or interested to take to the skies, the ability to do so is very available. Balloon flying companies in the area can be found in the yellow pages and online. For those interested in more serious flying, and even racing, a visit to the Great Eastern Balloon Association’s website Gebaballoon.org could prove to be worthwhile.
For those less inclined to leave the ground but are interested in the sport, technology has made it possible to fly alongside their favorite teams and balloons from the safety of their computer chair. Along those same lines, fanscan now follow the race through the use of the internet, tracking weather and balloons throughout the race by logging on to the Gordon Bennett Balloon Racing website.
