From the Archives: Record sizzling air balloon journey started at Coronado 55 years in the past
On April 9, 1966, Tracy Barnes and Terry Wright took off from the Lodge del Coronado for a journey to the East Coast in a very hot air balloon.
The balloonists landed at La Presa in East County 2 1/2 hours afterwards owing to unfavorable winds.
On April 11, Barnes and engineer Howard Bolin took off from La Presa, but have been pressured to parachute to safety immediately after a vent on the balloon jammed. They jumped out at about 300 ft and landed seconds ahead of the crashing balloon.
Barnes crashed into rocky terrain on Tule Mountain in the vicinity of Jacumba through his solo third flight April 26 and absolutely wrecked the aluminum gondola.
On his thriving fourth attempt to soar out of San Diego County, Barnes resumed his voyage from McCain Valley just northwest of Jacumba on June 5.
Barnes would total the very first transcontinental very hot-air-balloon flight throughout United States 5 months just after his initial start, landing in the vicinity of Villas, New Jersey, on Sept. 11, 1966.
From The San Diego Union, Sunday, April 10, 1966:
Flight Of Very hot air Balloon Halts Just after 10-Mile Trip
Resumption Prepared For Now
Two gentlemen commenced a coastline-to-coast flight in a scorching-air balloon from Coronado yesterday and landed 2 1/2 several hours later on only 10 miles away close to Sweetwater Reservoir.
Pilot Trace Barnes of Chester, S.C., blamed unfavorable winds for the gradual development and explained he selected to land simply because there was not enough fuel or gentle remaining to cross the rugged Laguna Mountains.
Barnes and his engineer and passenger Terry Wright prepared to remain right away in the meadow they landed in and resume the flight at dawn today.
1,000 People
About 1,000 folks gave the two a rousing sendoff at 9:05 a.m. on the seaside in front of the Hotel del Coronado.
Most of the spectators were being on hand when the balloon crew started inflating the silken bag with 90,000 cubic ft of hot air at 8:30 a.m. Barnes continued to heat the air with the propane fuel burner on his gondola following the balloon rose into traveling placement.
When the air temperature inside the bag attained 250 degrees, Barnes declared he was ready.
An unidentified guy introduced Barnes with a letter dealt with to a social gathering on the East Coastline. the envelope was marked “Via Hot Air Balloon” and the man claimed it would be the to start with these postal assistance.
A resort waiter presented Barnes and Wright with a tray loaded wit steak breakfasts, entire wit silver services.
Barnes’ wife, Brenda, also a balloon pilot, gave him a large kiss. Then a tether rope was minimize and the aerostat soared up at a 60 degree angle to the applause and cheers of the throng.
A helicopter carrying journal photographers buzzed within 50 ft of the aeronauts as they cleared the close by tall trees and drifted east.
When Barnes and Wright started their descent it brought on a enormous website traffic tieup in the La Presa spot.
Barnes stated he had applied pretty much 50 % of his liquid gasoline offer right before landing.
If Barnes is productive, his flight will be the initially transcontinental and longest balloon journey on report.
