Most everyone has figured out the use of masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes. If you run out of wipes you can put disinfectant in a plastic bag with rags or paper towels, shake it up and you have wipes. These techniques are good for your vehicle, trailer, and maybe even your burners and tanks but the rest of your balloon is different.

If you don’t want to wait a week in between flights you may want to disinfect your balloon equipment, assuming this is still going to be the CDC guidelines.  Remember most disinfectants don’t work unless the surface is clean, so you’ll need to wipe everything down first. For the wicker, fabric, and leather bolster/uprights you can use a UV disinfecting wand or just leave your system out in the sun. It’s slow going but doesn’t hurt anything (and you don’t have to clean everything first).  You can also use ½ white vinegar & ½ water in a spray bottle. If you don’t want to spray vinegar on your bolster, etc. you can also cover it so it is easier to clean.  Several pilots have wrapped their bolsters and uprights with Carpet Shield Sticky Film, however, this material is flammable and very sticky, meaning it might be difficult to remove if you keep it on too long. (You can go to Facebook “Balloon (mostly uncensored) Chats” May 11 for information.)

Everything these days takes longer and it looks like preparation for flying will too…but it is worth it!

Share what has worked for you!