Hands Off!: Epic Adventures of the Balloon Flyers of Akron

by William G. Armstrong Jr., Michael Emich

A small band of men and women with unique skills, secrets, foibles and ambitions kept alive and helped revive the sport of gas ballooning in America starting in the 1950s. Flying government surplus balloons filled with coke gas, natural gas, hydrogen and helium, the Balloon Flyers of Akron became the largest and most active gas balloon club in the U.S. They co-founded the Balloon Federation of America; piloted the balloon in the popular Smithsonian Air & Space Museum film “To Fly!”; made record attempts; conducted commemorative, training, and promotional ascents; supported two trans-Atlantic tries and a global attempt; made television shows, led seminars, produced manuals, and cheated death. Pursuing an ever-elusive equilibrium, they shared the magical allure of floating silently under a bag of lighter-than-air gas. The authors joined the club as teenagers and found themselves heirs to the achievements of legendary Navy and Goodyear balloonists, blimp captains, high-altitude researchers, and other aviation professionals. When they earned their pilot certificates, they became flying partners and set a distance record. Their humorous and adventurous stories – and lessons sometimes learned the hard way – vividly come to life in these pages.

364 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 20, 2021

Reviews

[Paula Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in the suburbs of Akron, OH and thought I had heard all the rubber industry stories but Hands Off! Epic Adventures of the Balloon Flyers of Akron opened a new chapter for me. Armstrong and Emich tell the amazing story of an intrepid pack of gas balloonists based in Akron. Starting in the early twentieth century, but really focusing on the 1950s through 2020, they tell fascinating stories of balloonists, their flights, and in many instances their deaths—or narrow escapes. What makes the book so interesting, aside from the technical data it provides about each of hundreds of flights is the insight it gives us into the thought processes of these fliers. The authors weave their own stories of balloon flights and exciting escapes from peril in with the stories of the balloon pioneers. I can’t imagine how many hours they spent poring over the flight logs, journals, and diaries left behind to reconstruct this important history. They’ve even included photos. They distilled a mountain of information into a very entertaining book. And for those of you with nostalgia for the Akron area—the neighborhoods, the airport, Wingfoot Lake—it’s all there. If you liked Goosetown or Gum-Dipped you will love it. I highly recommend this book.