How safe is ballooning?

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Wed, 25 Jan 2012 7:00p.m.

The Balloons Over Wairarapa festival will go ahead this year, after the families of the Carterton balloon crash gave their agreement.

Eleven people died when a hot air balloon hit power lines earlier this year.

The ballooning industry insists it is the safest form of flying that's been around for more than 200 years, and they're urging people not to be put off by this one off crash.

Commercial ballooning has very strict safety requirements - just like flying - and pilots need a licence to fly.

So we took a flight in the busy skies above Hamilton to see what the hazards are, and how to avoid them.

Helen Vaughan took a trip with the Kiwi Balloon Company in central Hamilton.

Watch the video.

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Comments

26 Jan 2012 11:06p.m.

Shane wrote:

Yes balloonists in NZ do need a license for commercial operations But the license we have to sit is for an airplane or helicopter not a balloon. Check with NZ CAA