or TOMORROW YOU WILL BE HOME 
The program (January 2002)From 5 to 18 to Tannheim, a small village to the confinements with Germany in the zone northwest of Austria, alone, Catherine, Edward (4 years) and me, then to Chateau d' Oex where would have reached us the crew formed by the friends Nicola, Piera, Michael, Henry and the Gigia to which my regard goes. The first week to Tannheim So much snow, cold prickly but good time for splendid flights, slips in bob with Catherine and Edward and rich hearty meal (and drunk ndr) with the German friends, then..... Saturday January 12 th 2002 The time changes, clouds increase and Achim tells to me - Tomorrow you will be home. There is north wind. I ask immediate confirmation to Rudy, the organizer, that tells me - It is probable, tonight we decide. You, however, with whom go? And who will retirve you?you Rudy is right! For  the flight over the Alps is in demand a second pilot and me I don't have him and I cannot ask to Catherine and Edward to make me such a binding recovery. The disappointment that shines through from my expression pushes Rudy to encourage me - there is tonight the party of the firemen, you will see that we will find someone who helps yourself . To the party we have the confirmation that there will be the correct conditions to go to Italy. The forecasts give for the morning later wind of 50 knots (93 Km/h) direction 160° to 14.000 ft (4300 m around) and 70 knots (130 Km/h) direction 180° to 18.000 ft (5500 m around), a jolly good time. I enter fibrillation. I have to absolutely find the second pilot and the recovery. For the material any problem. Rudy will give me more cilinders, the oxygen it was to place, also the radios, transponder, GPS, maps, everything OK. We find a pilot prepared even to pay for accompanying me and, even if it is still missing  the crew, feels me encouraged so we enjoy there the party of the firemen up to that Edward, justly brings to our knowledge, in rather rude way, his tiredness. While we are starting there in the hotel the guy prepared to pay it considers us and it declines his availability. The night I have passed her in white. Sunday 13 January times 06 and 30 min. The sky is covered so I try to reassure Catherine, rather worried saying her that it won't very probably nothing wiil be done. At breakfast all are very shaken. Rapid breakfast and all to the field where one whom is already inflating is. I look at him with envy; he is helped by 5 people! Rudy has not found anybody that can come with me. Don't interest me anymore. I race in the hotel to load the 4 cylinders of Rudy and I return to the field. The sky is still covered but the friend Rudy, to morally sustain me, explains that it concerns only a thin layer and that in Italy it is beautiful time, therefore all will depart. I feel alone, rather, I am really alone in the middle of a heap of people (by now ex friends) busy to put on their balls. The occasion is not repeteable and she is escaping me, so I force the hand and unloading the equipment starting to climb on alone the ball. To basket completely climbed on and filled with the necessary one (11 cylinders, oxygen, transponder, purse of the radios, GPS and necessary collector to use the cylinders of Rudy that had a different attack from mine), it reaches me 
Gerard, a great and big pilot of the group of Rudy that, with the eyes out of the head it tells me - you are alone?!?!?!. - Yes - And the others? - They will be in the hotel. To this point Gerard takes the telephone, make a call and it tells me that they will serve me as crew Adolf and Willy, the same friends that had helped me in the preceding week. Great demonstration of efficiency and, above all, of German Friendship. Gerard stops him to help me to inflatemy ball, but we are frozen by Rudy that it tells me not to have found the second pilot. A this point I extinguish the fan, also for in respect to the organization, and I look desolate the ball that slowly gets flabby. Meanwhile Rudy kept on repeating me that he didn't like that I went alone and he was also supported by the comments of the other pilots that the connected risks underlined to a overflying of the Alps in solitary. Then Rudy looks me in the eyes, law my scorching disappointment, discovers me everything sweaty for the work of the solitary assemblage to 15 degrees C under zero, it is moved and tells me: beh, if you want to go, you can go! Would have embraced him and kissed! (I would have him!). It is unbelievable as a common passion can unite the men. I quickly relight the fan and in an instant the ball is swollen while everything around, a small crowd is assembled now, almost all pilots or crews. Arrived also my recovery, with Rudy we make the check-list before the departure: cylinders ok, transponder ok, GPS ok, oxygen ok, map ok, radios, radios, merda! I forgotten them under loads in the hotel! Rudy turns him and in the perfect Italian with Bavarian accent it exclaims "Oh mother mine that pilots that we have". he takes his radio and puts it on board. The fly They are the 9 and 50 minutes when I take off looking for a rapid climb. In low I went for 110°, too much few, therefore I increase the rate of climb up to 800 Ft/min always watching the temperature that remains low. In little time I pass trough the thin layer of clouds and I find only me. Of the others balls no trace. What end they will have done? My speed is in continuous growth and more I climb, more the wind it pushes me to south, on the correct road. A look to the altimeter and I am already to 12600 feet (3840 meters), it is time that puts hand to the oxygen. I put the mask, I open the cylinder and I am invested by a flow that it flows to 10 liters/min, too many to stay healthy. For some time I flight opening and closing the cylinder but well soon I become me account that cannot continue so, therefore I fumble with the valve up to regulate the flow around 2/3 liters/min. 
Reached the maximum level of FL 170 (around 5200 meters) I decide not to insist in the climb, rather to lower me a little in how much I continually have the turning off of a pilot flame and, at times, also of both. Speed is sufficiently raised and I think about being able to be also calm because the consumption is contained. On the watershed I think about having reached the maximum speed of 110 Km/h, while to 160 of FL (around 4900 meters) they are between the 90 Km/h and the 95 Km/h with bow 180°. Up to that I remain in Austria and the visual contact it is available only to lines, I turn me with the GPS, then, when the sky is cleaned I succeed in easily making the point to sight. After a hour and half of flight I have finally resolved the problem of the oxygen and, apart the double turning off of the pilot flame that creates me some difficulties, for the rest I am being all right. Monaco has not passed me to Innsbruck but directly to Padova information that, obviously it doesn't feel me, in how much still very distant and with the course of my radio probably not enough. To this point I have been able to relax and I have started to film and to make photo. In Italy Making the point I realize that I am going on the lake of Garda and accordingly to Verona Villafranca. Climbing I go faster and I move me between Verona and Bergamo, going down I but turn toward Vicenza. Made the account of the available gas I choose this last solution that a calmer flight allows me for the less problematic aerial traffic. Passed the Tosa top (3133 meters) to south of Madonna di Campiglio, to FL 140 still have around 90 Km/h with bow 160°. The show is unique, mountains on mountains and I have not yet seen any other ball. To the horizon he starts to glimpse that typical little fog that we of the lowland well know, there is there the lowland. To the height of Rovereto speed goes down to 60/65 Km/h, but still enough for a good relationship among distance to be crossed and available gas. With the lowland by now in sight I succeed in perceiving, above the haze, the mountains of my house  and they crowd me conflicting feelings. I look at north and I regret the superb show that I have just left but, at the same time I am happy to have lived that thrilling moments. Suddenly return me to the mind a strange aspect of the panorama: snow up to the border, clean in Italy with so many white strips that went down from the completely green mountains. They were artificially the footsteps snowed. The landing Arriving on the lowland I see a gas ball very more to east of me, probably also him taken off from Austria, and in distance other hot air balls. Knowing the zone of arrival that is cultivated to orchards and grapevines I think about continuing, but then, remembering me that the crew is of German language, I decide not to estrange too much me from the highway to simplify us the life. The Verona airport gives me absolute calm of wind on ground therefore I start to go down up to that to around two hundred meters from ground I start to go toward west to 15 Km/h and I land to this speed in a field among the orchards. This is our absolute calm of wind. The initiated flight in Austria at 09.30 o'clock is finished in Italy at 13.50 o'clock in the place Belfiore (VR). Almost 4 hours and half of flight for 250 Kms with a consumption of 280 liters propane. The crew has reached me around a hour after my landing. They has made some kilometer in more. For all of this I thank: Rudolf Hofer for the trust and the friendship shown me. Adolf Gottlicher and Willy Beck for the great friendship and the 10 nonstop hours of car. Catherine and Edward to have me allowed to have a similar experience. The COOP for the ball. Paolo Barbieri N.di R. Paolo Barbieri has been the first Italian champion of flight in hot-air balloon. Lover of flight in hot-air balloon manages a school of flight next to Bologna.He has organized the greatest meeting of hot-air balloons ever seen in Italy (around 50 balls to Modena) and it regularly organizes the meeting in Parma. |