Four launch fields, seven landing zones, and a wind that changes with height. Burner up, vent down, and let the river country carry you.
Missouri River Balloon Drift Rev. 17
Launch field
Flight
Target
Clock
Wind briefing
Planning map
Arrows show each wind layer from the launch field, surface layer first. Tap a dot to choose it. Double-click or double-tap the map to enlarge it.
Touchdown
Flight log
How to fly
1. Up and down is all you control
Hold Burner (or Up / Space) to climb; hold Vent (or Down) to descend. The balloon answers slowly, so start early and let go early. There is no steering wheel.
2. You steer with altitude
The wind blows a different direction in each altitude band. Climb or descend into the band that carries you where you want to go. The briefing and the in-flight panel list the bands, surface at the bottom.
3. Reading the arrows
All arrows on the screen are relative to your view. The target box points at your landing zone. Each wind row points where that band would carry you. The ★ marks the band that points best at the target right now, allowing for the drift you will pick up on the way down.
4. The inset map
Turns with you like a car GPS: up is the way you are travelling, and the N on the rim shows where north is. Centered on you, 2.5 miles across. The green dot is the target. Remember the lower winds push you as you come down, so start your descent before you are over the dot.
5. Landing
Coming down takes minutes and the low winds carry you the whole way, so start down before you are over the target. Ease off the vent near the ground; a soft touchdown scores, a hard one costs. Drifting off the edge of the map ends the flight.
6. Planning
On the planning screen each target is tagged for the current forecast: reachable, marginal, or against the wind. Tap dots on the planning map to choose a launch field or target; double-click or double-tap the map to enlarge it. "New forecast" rolls new winds. The clock runs at real speed unless you pick 4× or 10×; P pauses.
Planning map
Tap a dot to choose it.