The 19th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival is all set for another historic Weekend of Everything That Flies. A weekend not only hot air balloons in different forms and shapes but also aerobatic exhibitions, skydiving, powered paragliding, aviation formation and more.
The Philippines’ first, foremost and longest-running gathering of aviators and aviation enthusiasts from around the globe and set on February 12 to 15 at the Philippine Air Force ADAC Hangar in Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.
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Earlier last year, a memorandum of agreement to hold the annual balloon fiesta was signed by Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president Arnel Casanova, Clark Development Corporation (CDC) president Arthur Tugade, Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) president, (then) chief executive officer Victor Jose Luciano, and Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Foundation Inc. (PIHABF) president Capt. Joy Roa at the Asian Air Safari hangar in Pasay City (story HERE).
Four full days of flying activities—including hot air ballooning, aerobatic exhibitions, skydiving, powered paragliding, aviation formation, search and rescue flight demonstrations, and balloon bursting, among other aviation spectacles—await attendees and participants to the highly anticipated event.
This year’s highlights include a total of 32 hot air balloons participating from all over the world, with special-shaped balloons featuring Old MacDonald’s Farm, Maximus the Beagle Dog, Burnie the Little Devil, Upside Down Balloon, Miss Daisy, Old Lady & the Shoe, Little Girl and Little Boy, Pink Elephant, Octopus, and Vincent Van Gogh, among a host of colorful traditional balloons.
Beauty for a cause
As part of this year’s activities, PIHABF also launched the search for Miss Aviation. First staged in the 1970s, this one-of-a-kind beauty pageant aims to promote, advocate and inspire the youth to take up a career in aviation, and support the country’s local tourism efforts. Twenty (20) female aviation students and professionals will vie for the title which will be awarded on February 10, 2015 during the Annual Aviator’s Ball to be held at the Manila Peninsula.
According to Captain Joy Roa, event director, the fiesta is a platform for improving the country’s aviation standing through collaboration and interaction with international aviators. “We have so much to learn from our foreign counterparts, and this fiesta is an opportunity to share and exchange cultures and ideas. Of course, this is also a chance for us to showcase the world renowned Filipino hospitality,” she said.
Entrance tickets for the 19th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival are at Php300 each, which proceeds will be donated to the PIHABF Foundation Scholarship Fund, granting scholarships to deserving but underprivileged students pursuing an aviation career in partnership with Air Link International Aviation School and the Philippine Air Transport and Training Services. Tickets may be purchased at the fiesta’s official website, at Ticketnet outlets, or at the event gates that will open at 5AM.
For more information and updates on the 19th PIHABF, visit www.philballoonfest.net or its official Facebook page, at http://www.facebook.com/pihabf
