Magnificent men with their flying machine provide childlike wonder to all

Along with classes of St Patrick's Primary School children, he wasn't deflated when the hot air balloon didn't rise due to the weather, instead beamed with adrenaline and joy.

"It was really good," he said with a smile after returning to his peers, bravely experiencing the burners as the first student to do so.

Sitting on cushions laid down at their school's oval, children wearing raincoats and others underneath umbrellas were hypnotised by the words of the visiting guest and their display.

Squadron leader Sam Wright along with reservists from Central Flying School and the Air Force Balloon, travelled to Bega to talk about the cane basket, burners and envelope (the balloon itself).

Leaning over the basket, he shared details from how to tell wind speed and direction by "spitting over the side", nauseating the principal, to querying how many children could fit in a basket.

The answer was 22 children. Squeezed with disregard for personal space and overlapped like sardines in a tin can, the kids pushed hoping to break some sort of personal record.

Year 2 student Hamish said pulling the burners was his favourite part, and wasn't scared just hot as the temperature rose and flames illuminated him.

Unbeknownst to him at such a young age, and all the students of St Pat's, the ability to experience a hot air balloon would become a lasting memory, evidenced by the joyful adults present.

Caught off guard a teacher heard her name being called by the principal who suggested it was her turn to have a go, and as she approached the cane basket she became enthralled with childlike wonder.

Squadron Leader Wright said wherever he goes, he had found that everyone, regardless of their age or where they were from, was happy to see hot air balloons.

"Back in a past life you'd go on operations and people weren't always having a good time," Squadron Leader Wright said.

"But every time we take people for a balloon flight or visit a school, they're having the best day of their life."