Early on the morning of August 20th, the residents of Stevenson Oaks found an unexpected guest on their front lawn. “We do not have the ability to steer the balloon except to make it go up or down. We steer the balloon by using different wind directions and speed while flying. We are often surprise visitors when we land somewhere, although we always try to get permission ahead of time before making a final decision to land,” explained Matt Robison, the pilot of the hot air balloon.
After looking at updated wind forecasts, Robison knew he’d have to land, or he would end up moving in a direction he didn’t want to go. He radioed for his crew chief (his wife Sara) to get permission to land. By the time he touched down, the announcement of his arrival had already spread across the community with eager residents on their balconies and on the front lawn hoping for a picture.
“It's always a pleasure for us to bring the joy of ballooning somewhere and we were very grateful for the opportunity to share it with your staff and residents,” shared Matt.