This is an exciting opportunity to interact and become involved with competition hot air ballooning. The main objective of a balloon competition is to rank competitors according to their skill in various flying tasks, and to reinforce friendship among aeronauts from all over the world. As an observer your main duties will be the impartial recording of particulars of positions, times, distances, etc.

Training in map reading, rules, and responsibilities of an observer will be provided. There will be many opportunities to get together with fellow observers and balloon crews at social functions. Free camping will be provided for volunteers on request. Free entry to Night Glow and the final night dinner completes the exciting week. Qualified observers who wish to continue participating in this exciting field often have other opportunities to observe overseas or in Australia. Mrs Falconer explains her experience as an observer in the 2014 event:

"Being an observer is an integral part of a ballooning competition.

"Hearing the word 'observer' you think of somebody serenely watching. Being a hot air balloon observer is a bit more complicated and possibly should be called a hot air balloon 'police person' as what you are there to do is watch judiciously that all rules are followed by both the pilot and the crew.

"It is one of the most interesting, challenging and rewarding experiences a volunteer can have. Once you have signed on you are given training, in map reading, understanding GPS and instruction on safety and the rules of flying in a competition.

"The competition itself can be quite challenging. The first challenge is the starting time of 5am. Following that you may be climbing fences, walking for kilometres looking for markers (which the pilot has thrown/dropped hopefully near the target) & trying to follow where you are going on the map while still keeping the balloon in sight. It sounds difficult but it isn't and it is so much fun. As you are with a new crew with each flight, you meet so many varied & interesting personalities.

"It is a wonderfully buoyant feeling being a part of such an important fun filled competition and you feel as though you have a second family with the amazing friendliness for which this group is well known. A number of observers start out very tentatively but there are always many added Facebook friends and new names in mobile phones by the end of the competition. There have even been a couple of romantic attachments formed.

"There are many opportunities that present themselves because of observing, the big one being that if you become proficient you may be asked to go to overseas events with a big part of your traveling costs covered.

"I thoroughly enjoy my time as volunteer observer and look forward to April 12, 2015 for this year's competition to begin."

Mrs Falconer, Volunteer Observer, Canowindra Balloon Challenge 2014

Contact Amy at Volunteering Central West 02 6332 4866 or email Jacky canowindraballoonchallenge@gmail.com for further information or to register your interest.