Once again, this is another late post about my tour. Last February 2011, I attended the 16th Hot Air Balloon Festival. Leaving Manila early morning we arrived at Angeles Pampanga just exactly before the start of the show.
In 1994, three years after the devastating effects of the Mount Pinatubo eruption, Tourism Secretary Mina Gabor together with Korean businessman and hot-air balloon pilot, Mr. Sung Kee Paik, and British Airways General Manager, Mr. John Emery, and the German aviation enthusiast Max Motschmann engineered the Philippine International hot air balloon festival to help jumpstart the local economy and spirit of the Central Luzon region with the commitment of developing hot air ballooning as an aviation sport in the country and making the Philippines one of the leading sports aviation and travel destinations in the Asia Pacific region.
The Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is an annual event that occurs between January and February at the Omni Aviation Complex in Clark Field, Angeles City, Pampanga. It features multicolored hot air balloons with more than a hundred balloon pilots from around the world. This three to four day hot air balloon event is the biggest aviation sports event in the Philippines.
The festival also features a number of events in skydiving, flag jumps, micro light and rocketry demonstrations, small plane fly-bys and fly-ins, remote-control airplane and helicopter flying exhibitions, freestyle aerobatics, precision maneuvers, light airplane balloon bursting, ultra-light flying formation and bomb dropping, kite-making and choreographed kite-flying, hi-start launch gliding, pylon racing, banner towing, aero-modeling symposium and races between ultra lights and motorcycles.
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| colorful kites |
What makes a hot air balloon? The main parts of a hot air balloon are the envelope, the basket and the burner. The envelope is the fabric gas bag which is usually made of light-weight and strong synthetic fabrics. Attached to the envelope is the basket or what they call gondola, too. Obviously, this is where it carries people. The basket is usually made of woven wicker or rattan because these materials are proven light and durable for balloon flights. Lifting the balloon up in the air, we need a burner. It is mounted above the basket and centered in the mouth. This is the main fuel of the flight well aside from the wind. The burner is fuelled by propane and liquefied gas.
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| balloons at night |
Currently, the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival continues to be a popular international sports aviation event. The 2006 festival featured 30 multicolored hot air balloons and more than a hundred balloon pilots from Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. It also drew an approximated 60,000 visitors to the event.
Simple Tips:
You should bring, water and food, mat and portable chair and go early.
Son plus de plaisir dans les Philippines en raison Hot Air Balloon Festival-Clark Field Angeles Pampanga!
Way Points:
By Land:
Clark is located 80 kilometers north of Manila and is reachable by land or air. Driving by car from Manila takes an hour and a half. Take the North Luzon Expressway and exit at Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga. Make a left turn toward Angeles City and then a right turn toward Clark
Clark may also be reached via the new Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). From the North Luzon Expressway, continue the drive leading to the SCTEX exit. You may use either the Clark North Interchange (Panday Pira access road near Nayong Pilipino) or Clark South Interchange (near Yokohama and Clark Main Gate) to enter Clark. From Clark, via the newly-opened Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, you can reach Subic within a 30-minute drive and the Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac in 15 minutes.
Public buses also ply the routes on a daily basis. Ride a Victory Liner bound for Dagupan and alight at Dau common terminal. Walk a bit toward the highway where jeepneys or tricycles are available. These vehicles can take you right up the Clark gate. Another bus line, Philippine Rabbit, also has trips to Angeles, Pampanga, via Dau, and other buses going north may also pass by the area. Ask the driver or conductor beforehand to be sure.
By Air:
Five airlines offer domestic and international flights to Clark’s Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA).
Where to stay:
You can visit the website: http://www.visitclark.com/wheretostay.html
If your cowboy/cowgirl, you can rent overnight transient house for affordable price.
Nice post! I remember my first hot air balloon festival. It was a great experience! You can also check this things to do in pampanga
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