Task of Balloon
What kinds of tasks do the balloonists compete for?
It is not “speed or distance” that balloonists race for but “accuracy within a limited time” in most cases. Generally, a balloonist is required to drop his/her marker onto a target on the ground after flying several kms. The target is either declared by the event director or by the pilot him/herself before departure.
JDG (Judge Declared Goal)
The pilot flies to a goal declared by the event director, usually located about 4 to 6 km from the launch point. Then he/she drops the marker toward the target. The pilot whose marker was dropped onto or nearest the target is given 1000 points.
HWZ (Hesitation Waltz)
HWZ resembles JDG but in this task plural targets are set. The pilot chooses one of them on which to drop his/her marker.
FIN (Fly In)
A goal is set by the operation committee, usually inside the launch site. The pilots are required to fly in from a different point, e.g. 5 km away. They can fly in from any direction as long as they depart from a different point.
HNH (Hare And Hound)
First a ‘hare’ balloon leaves the launch site. After 15 to 30 minutes the ‘hound’ balloons fly after the hare, which continues to fly around for 30 to 60 minutes until it lands to set its target. The hound balloons drop their markers onto it.
PDG (Pilot Declared Goal)
The pilot declares his/her goal before he/she departs. When the pilot reaches the goal, he/she drops the marker onto it. The pilot cannot expect good results unless he/she predicts the direction and velocity of the wind and reads the map precisely. It is a difficult task and the pilot’s flying skills are tested.
MND (Minimum Distance)
The pilot is required to fly for a fixed time e.g. 30 to 45 minutes, before he/she drops the marker. The pilot whose marker is closest to the center of the target wins 1000 points. It is a test of how long the pilot can remain stationary in the sky.
FON (Fly On)
This task follows on from another task, e.g. PDG. The pilot first drops the marker for the initial task after having written the next target on the marker. This task is similar to PDG.
MNDD (Minimum Distance Double Drop)
The pilot drops his/her two markers in two different places. The pilot with the shortest distance between the two markers wins.
MXDD (Maximum Distance Double Drop)
The pilot drops two markers in one or more places. The pilot with the furthest distance between two points wins.
CRAT (Calculated Rate of Approach Task)
Like FIN, a target is set inside the launch site by the event committee. The pilot flies in from outside the site and drops the marker. However, the area and time available are limited, so the pilot must carefully measure the time and confirm the target.
