Come Along For a Ride In the RE/MAX Balloon

Ever wonder what it’s like to soar through the skies in the RE/MAX hot air balloon? Get the inside scoop from a member of the RE/MAX social media team, who documented her dawn-to-dusk day with the red, white, and blue icon.

Jade Hecker recently joined a RE/MAX hot air balloon pilot at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico, the same site as the very first RE/MAX balloon flight in 1978. That moment was the start of something big – with over 100 balloons, RE/MAX now has the largest corporate fleet of hot air balloons in the world.

Here’s how Hecker’s skyward adventure took shape:  

Starting the day as the sun rises

Hecker arrived at Balloon Fiesta Park at 6:30 AM to meet up with the RE/MAX pilot and see the balloon crew unpack the inflatable aircraft. Before the hundreds of hot air balloons were set up, however, the festival’s Dawn Patrol – a group of hot air balloons that act as a safety task force – took to the skies to make sure the weather was safe for a mass ascension.

Inflating the RE/MAX hot air balloon

At sunrise, once the Dawn Patrol confirmed that conditions were good, the first wave of hot air balloons began to get ready. The festival had two waves of balloons going up each day. The pilot got the RE/MAX hot air balloon ready for its morning flight.

The key steps:

1. Take out the wicker passenger basket 2. Unwrap and lay out the balloon envelope 3. Set up the burner that heats the air and fuels the balloon 4. Use a powerful fan to inflate most of the balloon envelope 5. Turn the balloon envelope right side up as it finished inflating

Hecker marveled at the sheer size of the RE/MAX hot air balloon, which stands seven stories tall. Once it was standing upright, the crew held the aircraft down by the basket to prevent it from floating away.

Climbing aboard the basket

The balloon’s passenger basket can comfortably fit two to three people. After Hecker and the pilot were safely loaded, they were tethered into the sky by the rest of the team stationed on the ground. Then, those holding the tethers let go – and it was up, up, and away for the RE/MAX hot air balloon!

Flying high in the sky

Recreational hot air balloons typically fly anywhere between 500 and 3,000 feet high. And while the balloons have no steering wheels, pilots still have significant control of their movement. Introducing more heat into the burner helps the balloon ascend, and cooling off the burner helps it descend.

The wind plays a significant role on the direction the balloon flies – and pilots use this to their advantage. Hecker noted how during her flight, amid hundreds of other balloons in the sky, the pilots strategically avoided getting too close to anyone.

With blue skies above and Albuquerque’s picturesque Sandia Mountains in the distance, Hecker floated among a sea of colorful hot air balloons.

Landing back on the ground

After an hour of flying, it was time to come back down to Earth. As the RE/MAX hot air balloon made its descent, the pilot looked for a safe landing spot. Inside the basket, they braced themselves for landing by bending their knees and holding on tight to the handles. Once they landed safely, it took three people to keep the massive balloon grounded.

Decommissioning the balloon

Finally, the basket, balloon envelope, burner, and other parts were disassembled and packed up. It takes many hands to fold the envelope, which when stored away fits snug into the flat bed of a pick-up truck. The basket itself is so heavy it requires a special lift for safe transportation.

That was just one morning of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. As the day went on, Hecker observed more hot air balloons taking flight, with some even going up after sunset for the balloon glow event. At RE/MAX, a day spent in a hot air balloon is a good day indeed.

RE/MAX agents use the brand’s beloved hot air balloon throughout their communities to spread cheer. A pair of RE/MAX Broker/Owners in Ohio recently hosted tethered balloon rides for members of a local nursing home, while a RE/MAX agent in New York brought the balloon to an elementary school for a day of hands-on learning.

The RE/MAX hot air balloon has stood the test of time, and its presence symbolizes the many ways RE/MAX agents lead the real estate industry – always staying above the crowd.

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