beautiful zig-zag panels themselves offer the most obvious and perhaps famous example of another Barnes’ innovation - he realized that he could reduce a lot of fabric waste if the panels were sewn together in this formation and he even improved on the stitching methods, substituting a stress- distributing, flexible chain stitch for the earlier used lop stitching.)


Te ropes had another advantage as well. Much of Barne’s innovation, and Firefly design, was about lessening the reliance on metal in balloon structures. Jack Ponticelli, a current sales manager, tour guide and pilot with Firefly, said that basically sport ballooning can be likened to riding a motorcycle, meaning it has its risks. Sooner or later, you stand a chance of getting too close to power lines. And the less metal in the structure, the safer Tracy knew it would be. So the ropes became an integral part of connecting and holding the passenger basket, in place of the steel cables used before. Kevlar cables greatly reduced the conductivity within the balloon structure and their use also enabled the elimination of more metal in the passenger basket - itself another repository for Tracy Barnes’ and Firefly’s creative improvement.


OctOber 21-23 Statesville, Nc


Friday Free to public & many balloons visiting the area schools


Saturday Kid’s rides, crafts, excellent food, music. balloon Glow in the evening.


Sunday Vet appreciation day with event free to vets and their families.


Tracy’s passenger baskets were not only made entirely of rattan to lessen conductivity of electricity but also demonstrated a radical new triangular shape that was stronger than traditional rectangles and also www.CarolinaBalloonFest.com


More information on Page 34


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