Hyderabad’s Skies Set for Colourful Balloon Rides
As Hyderabad prepares for the official launch, these quiet test flights have already added a touch of magic to the city’s dawn skies.
Hyderabad:Hyderabad woke to soft winter sunrises this week as hot air balloons floated silently over the city’s western fringes, testing the winds ahead of the Telangana Tourism Development Corporation’s (TTDC) public rides scheduled from January 16 to 18.
Pilots from England and Spain gathered at Jalamandali Park, Gandipet, for early-morning test flights on Tuesday and Wednesday. Two balloons lifted off around 7 am each day, rising nearly 4,500 feet before landing near Osman Sagar in Kollur police station limits. Preparations began an hour earlier, with helium balloons released to check wind direction.
SkyWaltz retrieval teams and Narsingi Police tracked the flights closely, reaching landing sites within half an hour. “Air traffic control continuously monitors our movements to ensure we do not enter civil aviation airspace,” a SkyWaltz official said.
Among the pilots was Patrik Simeons, who began ballooning at 16. “This is my first time in India and Hyderabad. Ballooning is my passion. I do it for fun, not money,” he said. Another veteran manufacturer from Spain, returning after a decade, called flying here “special.”
The sight of balloons drifting overhead drew delighted reactions. Morning walkers waved, labourers paused to record videos, and NCC girls posed inside a basket.
Wednesday’s Bhogi celebrations reduced visibility, making landings tricky. Pilots skipped Thursday’s tests as a precaution. According to Kareem, an internationally certified pilot, nearly 18 balloons will be used for public rides, with take-off points announced depending on wind direction.
As Hyderabad prepares for the official launch, these quiet test flights have already added a touch of magic to the city’s dawn skies.
