2025 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta On-Field PreDawn Balloon Launches

The unique Albuquerque "box" winds, as they're referred to, in which northerly breezes are found at low, near-ground altitudes while southerly winds often prevail at higher altitudes, allows balloon pilots to depart south, climb in altitude into the southerly winds which take them north, often over the balloon field, where they can descend back into the northerly winds and return back to the field and land essentially where they departed. It appears that these winds appear in the pre-dawn and early morning time-frame resulting in departures commencing prior to sunrise. But the level of activity, indeed the chaos, with thousands of spectators mingling close to all the balloons and their crews is an "experience" not to be missed. So here we are - - prior to sunrise - - taking it ‘all in’. Actually we're surprised, but very pleased, that tens of thousands of lay public are allowed to mix so intimately with these "flying machines". But we hear of few "incidents" - - so we assume it's relatively safe and trust that the bureaucracy never contemplates otherwise. Which brings us to all the 'whistles' heard in this video. These are the "zebras" (wearing black and white striped shirts) - - essentially controllers who work with the balloon pilots coordinating their departures and, using the whistles, to control (usher) the crowd out of harms way.