PROSSER, Wash.- The skies over Prosser filled with color as the Great Prosser Balloon Rally brought pilots, crews and spectators together for one of the community’s signature fall traditions.
Among those taking flight was Joey Hernandez, a commercial pilot flying his balloon, “Spritely Dew”.
Hernandez recently moved to Prosser because the region’s climate makes it an ideal home for hot air ballooning. You can usually spot him drifting over Yakima Valley 5-6 days a week.
“It’s the reason I moved to Prosser,” said Hernandez. “The weather here in the summertime is so perfect. This summer has been magical.”
Hot air ballooning may look effortless from the ground, but Hernandez says it takes both power and precision. Each flight relies on burners that push propane from 15 gallon tanks through a coil system. The process produces nearly 20 million BTUs of heat per burner, enough energy to lift the balloon into the sky.
Because heat rises, pilots can climb or descend by adjusting the burners. Pulling a rope vents the heat, cooling the balloon and guiding it downward. Hernandez demonstrated those techniques during a scenic flight that included hovering just above the Yakima River.
“Our goal is to float right above the water without getting wet,” Hernandez said. “I’ve soaked my basket before. I don’t want that today.”
While flying may seem like a solo adventure, it depends on teamwork on the ground. Known as balloon chasers, crew members help set up the balloon, follow the flight path, and meet the pilot and passengers wherever they land.
“The crew helps us lay everything out and set up for the flights, and then they go on the chase and follow us in a pickup truck,” Hernandez said. “I tell them on the radio where we’re going to land, and they’re waiting for us.”
