MOVE iT! Owner Patrick Smith, a Frederick County native, took his first Tailwinds flight in 2010 and has been traversing the Frederick skies in his colorful ride since then. As a certified commercial pilot and instructor, Smith began flying in 2004 and spent hours flying and instructing in airplanes before finding his way around an airborne wicker basket. Hot air ballooning may be new to the Frederick skies, but it’s not new to the world. As a matter of fact, the first manned hot air balloon flight took place in 1783 in France. And balloons have since been used in everything from military strategy to saying, “I do.” Hundreds of years later, hot air balloons are still being used for a variety of activities, most of which involve an awesome way to have some serious fun. Locally, you can book a flight with Smith to take to the Frederick skies for an afternoon of enjoyment. But, after spending a day with the staff of Tailwinds Over Frederick and their newest balloon (which is incidentally noted as the biggest hot air balloon in the entire state of Maryland) at the Frederick Municipal Airport for a test flight, I can tell you certainly that there’s more to ballooning than just a leisure jaunt through the clouds. Hot air ballooning is hard work! The bigger, better and more technologically modern balloon was impressive for sure, but I had no idea that taking to the sky took so much hard work, or a team of really enthusiastic and passionate people, to make it happen. There’s a good amount of hauling, tying, unwrapping and prepping to be done before one can even begin the necessary safety checks needed to get the balloon into the air. But, as Smith explains, that is all a part of the experience.
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SPRING 2012