Big balloon up and away

The largest balloon in New Zealand will be the headline attraction at the annual Balloons over Waikato festival which starts next week.

The Up Up and Away balloon, coming to Hamilton for the first time, flies commercially in Christchurch and can carry up to 24 passengers. Its basket measures five metres by three metres and the size of the balloon envelope is an enormous 10,610 cubic metres. It has four burners each throwing out 7MW of power and enabling it to carry up to 3400kg.

Balloons over Waikato general manager Michele Connell said having the colossal balloon would be a great spectacle and its size would give more people a chance of a ride. Because of the large number of passengers it can carry, the Up Up and Away team also have a bus they use as a chase vehicle.

Third-year event flight director Martyn Stacey is the usual pilot and was the driving force behind bringing it to the festival.

But his organisational duties mean Dean Ragg will take over pilotting duties.

Mrs Connell said other highlights of the festival would be the breakfast at dawn where the first 2000 people to Hamilton's Innes Common are given a free breakfast while they watch the balloons inflate.

Shaped balloons this year include a peacock, mushroom and jack-in-a-box.

Balloons over Waikato runs from March 24-28 and the event opens with the Gallagher Mass Ascension where 30 to 35 balloons inflate and fly off from Innes Common.

- © Fairfax NZ News