The wind, the rudder of the hot air balloon

Unlike other aircraft, hot air balloons have no rudder or steering wheel, we cannot steer them in the direction we want. They go in the direction the wind is blowing.

To get an idea of ​​how the wind affects the piloting of a hot air balloon, we can imagine the sky as if it were a large slice of cake, made up of different overlapping layers. In each layer, the wind can blow in a different direction and with a different intensity. Once the pilot knows what is in each of the layers, he places himself in the one that takes him in the most suitable direction to find a place to land.

In addition to knowing the vertical behavior of the wind that is discovered at the same time of the flight, it is also very important to know how the wind varies depending on the orography of the terrain. La Garrotxa, with its natural and mountainous landscape, is crossed by several mountain ranges that divide the region into different valleys. Although the behavior of the wind can vary every day, each valley presents dynamics and patterns that are repeated with some regularity, and knowing them is key to planning the flight.

The valleys parallel to the Pyrenees and open to the sea tend to present a very characteristic pattern: early in the morning, the wind usually crosses the valley from west to east. This dynamic, however, can change as the day progresses. Especially in hotter times, it is likely that the marinada will enter, a breeze coming from the sea that can change the direction and speed of the wind within the valley. The Santa Pau, Hostoles or Llierca valleys are clear examples where these patterns can often be observed.

However, in smaller, closed valleys or with a more irregular orography, the wind behavior can be much more variable and unpredictable. In these cases, conditions can change significantly from one day to the next, and even during the same morning. An example would be the Vall d’en Bas.

Regarding the conditions that affect the whole region, it is noteworthy how the tramuntana reaches us. This does not reach the same intensity as in the Empordà, mainly because the Pyrenees act as a retaining wall. This means that many days when the wind is very virulent on the coast, it reaches us at a lower speed at altitudes of up to 1500 and 2000 meters, which allows us to cross the Corb mountain range at a correct speed to have a duration of one and a half hours and land safely.

Despite the knowledge and accumulated experience, it is important to remember that every day is different. Winds never move at exactly the same speed or in the same direction, making it impossible to apply an exact science to ballooning. And that is precisely part of the charm: for the pilots, each flight is a new challenge, a unique adventure where nothing is exactly the same.

You know, then:

Let yourself be carried away by the wind and live a unique adventure!

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