Balloon pilot’s wife shows off remote-controlled hot air balloons

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) – It seems everything has a remote-controlled version: Cars, boats, planes, helicopters, and for the last few years that includes hot air balloons. And there are several floating around during the balloon races in Longview.

It looks like any other hot air balloon except for one thing: It’s a whole lot smaller. Caryn Welz Founder of Welz Balloons says she is one of three model balloon builders in the U.S. But, why?

“Why? So, my husband’s a competition pilot. He’s flown many years here at GTBR. We are the mustache balloon. And during COVID when we were stuck at home, I wanted something to do. So, I decided I was going to build a model replica of our mustache balloon,” Welz said.

And that includes the wicker gondola, propane tanks and burners. Setting one up is exactly the same as putting up a full-sized balloon. You just can’t get in that basket.

“I took it out into the community and started flying it and people just fell in love with it. I can go into the schools, and I do a lot of science through ballooning with younger kids and in the classroom. As well as the adults and teaching them how balloons work and how they fly,” Welz said.

And yes, when set up the balloon drew a crowd even with balloon pilots and their kids. But can she just let it go and watch it fly? Well yes, but:

“The only thing is it voids my insurance. So, typically we keep the model balloon tethered,” Welz said.

That’s because, like a full-sized balloon, the wind would steer it. The remote does the same thing a pilot in a balloon does.

“My left toggle switch is my igniter switch. And my right side is my pilot valve. So, it opens and lets propane out and catches on fire to ignite the burner,” Welz said.

Even though it looks huge it’s one sixteenth the size of a full-sized balloon.

“So, it’s still rather large. We’re talking it’s as big as a two-story building,” Welz said.

She says they sell the balloons, and they take about three weeks to make. A two-story toy could make the perfect gift for someone who seems to have everything.

If you’d like to see the balloons in person, they’ll be flying at DNH Solutions at 2163 Gilmer Road in Longview from about 6:15 AM until 9 AM tomorrow morning while the balloon race is going on. They’ll also be up at around 6PM Friday and Saturday at Maude Cobb.