Every 2 years a pilot needs to go through the process of a flight review with a flight instructor. On Sunday Ernie was having his flight review which meant there was an open spot in the balloon. So Varel got to take her third balloon flight.
We have never forced her to get in a basket. She did that on her own during a balloon glow. A balloon glow is when balloons are inflated after dark, not to fly but to light up the night like Chinese Lanterns. She leapt into a basket and hammed it up for the media.
Her first flight was in Las Cruces, NM at the Mesilla Valley Balloon Rally. Both of the second and third flights have been in Temecula, CA.
