Lake George Elementary School students got an exciting preview of the upcoming Adirondack Balloon Festival this week, and this year, they didn’t just get to see a hot air balloon. They got to walk inside one!
Students welcomed hot air balloon pilot Mark Stodolski of Sterling, Massachusetts, who shared his experience and answered plenty of questions from curious students. Stodolski has been a pilot for more than 25 years, but his love of ballooning goes back even further, he began as a crew member in 1976.
His balloon, named “Break Time,” towered more than 75 feet above the students, giving them an incredible perspective on just how large a hot air balloon really is.
Dick and Mary Beth Young also joined the visit and brought something LGES students had never experienced before, a “walkabout balloon.” The retired hot air balloon was spread out and opened so students could actually step inside the balloon envelope, walk around and see firsthand just how enormous it is.
The walkabout balloon stands approximately 60 feet tall and measures roughly 50 feet in diameter. It contains about 77,000 cubic feet of space, approximately the volume of air found in three typical homes. Despite its enormous size, the balloon itself weighs only about 200 pounds and is made from more than 700 square yards of fabric held together with approximately three miles of thread.
For students, though, the morning was less about the numbers and more about the experience. They were able to look up at the colorful fabric surrounding them, explore the inside of a real hot air balloon and learn about ballooning directly from people who know it best.
“This hands-on opportunity offered students an exciting and educational glimpse into the world of hot air ballooning,” said Principal William Levett. “We are incredibly thankful to the pilots and their crews for sharing their time and knowledge and providing our students with a memorable learning experience outside the classroom.”
A huge thank you to Mark Stodolski, Dick and Mary Beth Young for giving our students such a unique opportunity. After getting an up-close look at the balloons, and even stepping inside one, our students will have a whole new perspective when they look to the skies this weekend!