Hot air balloons, kites, and airplanes take flight at Clark

The clear blue sky over the Clark Freeport Zone was once again awash with colors as hot air balloons, kites, paragliders, helicopters, and airplanes defied gravity in the annual Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIBHAF).   Now on its 17th year, the balloon festival of the PIBHAF Foundation and the Clark Development Council (CDC) showcases the local aviation industry and promote tourism—a goal evidently achieved as throngs of crowds trooped to the airbase.   A P200 ticket gets a visitor to the field to see the hot air balloons up close. Some of the balloons made lift off at the crack of dawn in a sunrise made even more beautiful by the colorful carriages that floated languidly through the clouds.   Certainly the balloons—old but romantic mode of transport—were the main attraction, but there were many other activities for PIBHAF guests to participate in throughout the day.   Guests were able to camp out at the Clark Freeport grounds, gaining front row seats to the constant spectacle of colors and dances in the sky.   Many concessionaires that lined the event grounds had kites on sale or as free giveaways. The kites proved popular among children and adults alike. The weather and wind conditions at the Clark Freeport Zone were perfect for kite-flying, and people certainly seized the opportunity, freely setting their kites to the wind.   More than that, paragliders and skydivers from the Philippines as well as Malaysia, Spain, and Australia stunned onlookers from miles above as they soared across the clouds in a death-and-gravity defying feat of perfectly executed aerobatics.   An aircraft museum of sorts was also featured at the event, where guests were allowed to view and explore the interiors and exteriors of various airplane models. Some light aircrafts flew in formation, causing the crowd to train their attention on to the skies overhead.   Aviation professionals were also on hand to perform firefighting and rocketry demonstrations.   The Hot Air Balloon Festival will run until Sunday, Feb. 12 and will close with even more colors shooting into the sky in a fireworks display. — KG/ELR, GMA News