DERRY — Thirteen years ago, Tony Sica went for his first ride in a hot-air balloon.
He loved it so much that he wanted to start flying himself, but found it to be an expensive hobby.
As a result, he started charging other people for rides, a decision that grew into High 5 Ballooning, a full-time business he runs out of his Derry home.
Sica's so busy now — October is the "busy season" — that he flies every sunrise and sunset when there's good weather, averaging between 150 and 200 flights per year.
Sometimes Sica even subcontracts his ballooning business to other pilots in the area like Andre Boucher, who taught Sica the art of navigating a 70-foot tall balloon.
"Pilots in New Hampshire are the best in the world," Sica said.
Flying a balloon takes special skill because the pilot is at the mercy of the wind and has limited ability to control the lateral motions of the balloon.
Ballooning in New Hampshire is especially challenging, because, unlike other parts of the country, the state is predominantly forest and there are few large fields for landing. Therefore, 75 percent of their landings happen in residential neighborhoods, Sica said.
"If you see a balloon land in your neighborhood, that's normal," Sica said.
Often times, people are surprised to see balloons land in their yard or on their street. But once they realize the landing was calculated and not an accident, they are excited about the opportunity to learn a little bit about the activity.
With every flight, pilots have vehicles on the ground trailing the balloon, so that when it does come down, the balloon can be packed up and put away, usually in about 15 minutes.
Some people get so intrigued by flying, they even become part of the crew which can lead to a free flight with Sica after seven times.
Even though the pilots don't have steering wheels to control a balloon's every move, it's still the safest way to travel through the sky, according to Boucher, who has over 20 years of experience navigating balloons in the area.
There are no moving parts to worry about and balloon pilots only fly in good weather. That's why they only take off at sunset and sunrise, because those are the calmest parts of the day.
"We don't like to be up there and see the tops of the trees move," said Boucher's son, Jason, who is also a licensed pilot and owner of Infinity Ballooning.
All three pilots say their clients range in age from as young as 6 to as old as 100. And no matter what the age, the experience is about the same with just about every first-timer surprised at how calm the flight can be from 2,500 feet in the air.
"It's like God said 'here, take a flight and have a look around,'" Sica said.
Even people who claim to have a fear of heights enjoy the flights after a few minutes, Sica said.
"It really feels like your not moving at all," Jason Boucher said.
Although October is the busiest month of the year for ballooning, each season has its own special qualities. It may be the coldest time of year, but Sica said the winter months can be great for flying because they offer some of the best views of wildlife and typically have the calmest weather.
But no matter the season, all three pilots say they enjoy cruising through the sky with their clients.
"Making people happy is my main motivation," Sica said.
For information on ballooning in Souther New Hampshire, log onto www.high5ballooning.com or www.infinityballooning.com.
