St. Louis Balloon Race Is "Go"

While harboring an unabashed admiration for balloon pilots and their crews, we're sometimes mystified by the nomenclature that surrounds that noble calling. For instance, do hot air balloons really "race?" That would seem to imply an element of speed that has heretofore eluded us...

If they do, they'll be doing it at St. Louis's Great Forest Park Balloon Race -- a race that was almost finished before it ran.

As we're all aware, given the controversy over TSA restrictions at the Cleveland Air Show on Labor Day weekend, there's a standing flight space restriction within three miles of major sporting events, below 3,000 ft. AGL. That very restriction just about canceled the opening night of the festivities in Cleveland (OH).

So it wasn't out of the realm of possibility -- the worst-case fears of balloon race organizers in St. Louis (MO). The Cardinals are playing Saturday in downtown St. Louis. A gentle breeze blows the balloons toward downtown and, bang-zoom, yer busted!

Well, appearing to have more common sense than government officials seeking to stick to the letter of the law, the Cards and Major League Baseball endorsed the balloon race, even given that worst-case scenario. After all, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported, no one seriously believes that the al Qaeda will launch deadly hot air balloon attacks on Middle America. Still, the local FAA said, if you want to race balloons near Busch Stadium, you gotta have a waiver.

Undaunted, race organizers went to their local politicos for help. The Post-Dispatch reports Representative Todd Akin (R-MO) and Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) stepped in and, on Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta issued a waiver.

Cleveland, are you seeing this?

FMI: www.greatforestparkballoonrace.com