Joint Ventures. Windy City Balloon Port, Ltd., operated a balloon launching facility near Barrington Hills, Illinois, offering public commercial sightseeing flights in hot-air and helium balloons owned by third parties. Windy City sold tickets for the balloon rides for 100 to 150 per person per ride. The pilot of the balloon would receive 60 to 70 directly from Windy City for each ticket sold but otherwise received no consideration from Windy City. Although Windy City provided refueling and repair facilities for the balloons and canceled balloon flights when the weather conditions were unsafe, Windy City had no control over the balloons after they departed from the balloon launch. On August 15, 1981, a hot-air balloon piloted by James Bickett departed from a launching site at Windy City. It was carrying five passengersKenneth Coleman, Jr., Terry Ritter, Brian Baker, William Keating, and Harry Evans. Shortly after takeoff, the balloon struck power lines and crashed to the ground, killing Bickett, Coleman, Ritter, Baker, and Keating. Evans survived, but sustained severe burns and injuries. In a lawsuit filed by representatives of the deceased passengers and others, one of the issues was whether Windy City and Bickett were involved in a joint venture. How did the court rule? Discuss fully.
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