Hot Air Ballooning, Anyone?
Published on June 3, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release
The Mayflower Hot Air Balloon visits Whataburger Field this weekend as part of a fundraising effort for Corpus Christi's Miracle League Field.
The public is invited to ride in the balloon, weather permitting, before and during games Friday-Saturday-Sunday June 6-7-8. The balloon will operate from 5-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 4-7 p.m. Sunday from the parking area east of Whataburger Field between the ballpark and Harbor Bridge.
Rides cost $5 with a Hooks game ticket, $10 without. The team hosts Midland Friday at 7:05 before San Antonio comes calling Saturday and Sunday at 7:05 and 6:05, respectively.
For tickets, call 361-561-HOOK or go to cchooks.com
"We are excited about bringing the balloon to town," Corpus Christi Transfer Company president Terry Arnold said. "The Miracle League Field project is gaining momentum locally and this is a creative way to raise money and have fun at the same time."
The Hooks and local Rotary Clubs have combined forces to make the field a reality. A generous donation from H-E-B kicked off the fundraising program. Miracle League fields are designed for developmentally disabled children. Corpus Christi's will be constructed on Airport Road between Old Brownsville Road and Greenwood Drive and include a cushioned rubberized turf to help prevent injuries, wheelchair accessible dugouts and a completely flat surface to eliminate any barriers for wheelchair-bound or visually impaired players.
Balloon Facts
2005 marked the inaugural year of flight for the balloon. It is made of ripstop nylon and sports a bright, green, yellow and red design with three Mayflower ship inflatable appendages that give the balloon a special shape. The balloon is fueled by propane, which heats the envelope. Variation in the envelope temperature provides vertical movement, but the direction of the flight is completely dependent upon prevailing wind currents.
Piloted by retired U.S. Army Major Kevin Knapp, the balloon has appeared at Super Bowl XLII (Phoenix), The Kentucky Derby Balloon Race and Preakness Balloon Festival in 2008, among other stops. It leaves Corpus Christi for the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival in Foley, Ala.
Additional balloon facts:
Height: 70 feet
Width: 61 feet
Volume: 105,000 cubic feet
Fuel: Liquid propane
Fabric: Ripstop Nylon
Operating Temperature: Up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit
Gross Lift: 2,310 pounds
Burner Output: 36,000,000 BTUs
System Weight (fully fueled): 865 pounds
Passenger Capacity: 3, including pilot
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- Hot Air Ballooning, Anyone? - Corpus Christi Hooks
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