By: Morgan Kosinski

 

The InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival is thrilled to have the highly decorated, and equally charming, Scott Vesely return for what promises to be another epic flight.

At Dawn’s Early Light

A commercial balloon pilot since 1982, Vesely has been cruising the skies for decades.

 

Most recently, he led a team of twelve pilots at Dawn Patrol, a magical event at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

 

“There is nothing like flying Dawn Patrol in Albuquerque,” Vesely recalls wistfully, “We watch the sunrise over the Sandia Mountains and the traffic come onto the field. There is nothing like that type of flight.”

The AIBF explains, “The Dawn Patrol began at Balloon Fiesta in 1978, when two California balloonists developed position lighting systems that allowed them to fly at night. Dawn Patrol pilots take off in the dark and fly until it is light enough to see landing sites. Fellow balloonists appreciate the Dawn Patrol because they can watch the balloons and get an early idea of wind speeds and directions at different altitudes. On mass ascension days, about a dozen Dawn Patrol balloons perform the Dawn Patrol Show, a choreographed inflation and launch set to music that has been part of the Balloon Fiesta since 1996. Dawn Patrol inflations begin, weather permitting, at about 5:45 AM, with launch around 6:00 AM.”

 

A Family Affair

Ballooning also runs in the family. Kim Vesely shares her son’s passion for the unique sport, and collaborated on two popular books regarding the popular pastime:  “Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta” and Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and “The World Comes to Albuquerque — The Dream Takes Flight.”

Ready for Take-Off

 

“There is nothing that can compare to flying in the air,” Scott praises, “All the sites, sounds, and smells, all enhance the flying pleasure.”

Now a resident of Wylie, he is looking forward to flying the InTouch Credit Union balloon, (a 120,000 Lindstrand Regular Shaped balloon) at the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival, and that’s not just a lot of hot air.

Keep your eye on the skies during the launch, competition, and crowd favorite, the balloon glow, for Vesely and his team at the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival.