40th Helen balloon festival flourishes in new venue

HELEN - There's a lot of hot air in Helen this weekend.

For the 40th year in a row, the city is hosting the Helen to the Atlantic Hot Air Balloon Race and festival.

This year, the event is being held on the Wilkins property, just across the river from Helen City Park and the outlet mall.

Veteran pilot David Bristol of Sautee is excited about the new location, which reunified what had become an interspersed event in recent years.

"The new venue is great," Bristol said. "There's plenty of room for like 30 balloons all in one spot, where in the past they've been scattered all about town. It's a nice place. We've room for parking for all the spectators, too."

Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate with the race.

"The bad thing this year is the winds are blowing the wrong direction," Bristol said. "So if we're trying to get to the Atlantic coast, it's not going to happen. We're going to hit Canada first. The good part about it is all the balloons are here, so for the spectators that gives them something to see rather than read about in the paper."

A commercial pilot who also offers hot air balloon flights, Bristol has attended all of the 40 balloon events in Helen, though he was a spectator in those early years.

"I've actually been flying for 30 years," Bristol said. "It's what inspired me to become an airline pilot actually, so it means a lot to me."

Shae Harper of Gainesville was taking in her first balloon event.

"It's very overwhelming," Harper said. "I did not realize the magnitude until actually seeing here in this open field. It's great for spectating - beautiful colors - and it's impressive to learn about how they work. I never knew how they worked before."

One of the unique aspects of a hot air ballooning event is that spectators are invited and encouraged to watch set-up and take-down of the balloons, and to help as a ground crew member if they want.

Craig Gottschang of Sautee is the newest pilot, checked out this week by Bristol. The former Delta Airlines captain for 45 years and flew fighter planes in the U.S. Air Force before that. He and Bristol took off from the Habersham County Airport Tuesday morning and after several takeoffs and landings, Gottschang completed a 30-minute solo flight.

"Craig's learning to fly," Bristol said. "He's been flying for eight months now."

Gottschang is excited about this newest chapter in his aviation career.

"It's great," Gottschang said of the festival. "It's fun being around other balloonists, seeing how they do it, comparing notes."

To reach this year's event venue, turn onto Bruckenstrasse from South Main Street (Georgia Highway 75). Cross the four-way stop and the concrete bridge, then turn left onto a gated drive and follow the Balloon Event signs. There is no charge to watch the proceedings. There is a charge for tethered rides.

"The best time to be here is 7 o'clock in the morning and about 6:30 or 7:00 at night up until sunset," Bristol said.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/5/262094