Wairarapa balloon festival still on track

Balloons Over Wairarapa will go ahead as planned despite a recommendation yesterday urging safety checks of New Zealand's 73 hot air balloons.

The festival's flight director, Martyn Stacey, said he did not think the Transport Accident Investigation Commission's (TAIC) recommendation, prompted by a probe into the cause of the January hot air balloon crash, would affect the festival. "If anything it makes people more aware that the balloons are well maintained," he said.

Although Mr Stacey had not had any communication from the the TAIC or the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), he did not think hot air balloons would be grounded while checks were completed.

"They're investigating this tragic incident, and they may have found some anomaly, which might have to do with the accident, it may or may not be related, but because they found it they're doing something about it," Mr Stacey said. He added it was good to see the commission being pro-active but he did not think lax safety procedures were systemic in the industry.

Masterton Mayor Garry Daniell agreed the announcement would be unlikely to affect the annual balloon festival.

"It's really quite pertinent that CAA have made recommendations in light of the upcoming Balloons over Wairarapa festival, and the fact that they have identified aspects that require checks gives me great confidence that the festival will be trouble free," Mr Daniell said.

Carterton Mayor Ron Mark said he did not want to make any comment until the report from the commission was released.

Photographer Geoff Walker, who was on the scene the day of the crash, also did not want to comment.

Balloons Over Wairarapa, featuring 24 balloons, will be held from March 8 to 11, opening with a tribute flight from Carterton.