Ballooning history is full of colorful charactors, interesting adventures, and wonderful stories. In this section of the website we want to share some of these stories with all of you.
Read about Notable Balloonists as identified by the BFA Hall of Fame Committee. Click the following link to access the biographies and other information on US Hall of Fame Award recipients and other Notable Balloonists.
-
BFA Board of Director Officers - Alphabetical List
Most years as an officer at each postions President: [4] J. Michael Wallace (1992, 93, 95, 96), [3] Don Kersten (1970, 75, 76), [3] Peter Pellegrino (1967, 68, 69), [3] Rick Jones (2000, 01, 02), [3] Phil Bryant (2003, 04, 05)
Vice President: [4] Scott Wooge (14,15,16,18), [3] Peter Pellegrino (1970, 71, 72), [3] Mike Cohn (1981, 82, 83), [3] Marsha Neal (1993, 95, 96).
Secretary: [6] Tim Cloyd (2016, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21), [3] James T. Knight (1973, 74, 75), [3] David Rapp (1989, 90, 93), [3] Ruth Lind (2003, 04, 05)
Treasurer: [9] Maury Sullivan (2014, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22), [6] Tim Brady (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08), [4] Peter Krieg (1969, 70, 71, 72), [4] Rick McPerson (1991, 92, 93, 94), [3] Orvin Olivier (2000, 01, 02)
Alphabetic Listing
Bill Armstrong VP 1979, 80
Jeanne Anson Sec 2000
Roger Barker VP 1986, 87
Ray Bair Pres 2006, 07, VP 2003, 05,
Andy Baird Pres 2008, 09, Sec 2006, 07
Rob Bartholomew Sec 1985
Pat Barz Pres 1983, Sec 1982
Bill Bird VP 1991, Tres 1990
Alan Blount Pres 1981, 82
Troy Bradley Pres 2011, 12, VP 2009, 10
Tim Brady Tres 2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08
Phil Bryant Pres 2003, 04, 05 VP 2007
Pat Cannon Pres 2022
Nikki Caplan Sec. 1976
Dean Carlton Pres 2016, 17, Sec 2014, 15
Don Cline Sec 1984 Tres 1985, 86, 87
Tim Cloyd Sec 2016, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Mike Cohn VP 1981, 82, 83,Sec 1979
Bruce Comstock Pres 1973, 74
Sid Cutter VP 1975, 76, Tres 1974
Tom Davies Pres 1977, 78, Sec 1987
Carol Davis VP 1990, Tres 1989,
Chauncey Dunn VP 1977, Tres 1978
Don Edwards Pres 2010
Sam Edwards VP 1978
Drew Egerton Sec 2013
Matt Fenster VP 2011
Marlene Gaidzik 1998
William Grabb President 1971, 72, Sec. 1968, 70
Lynn Harris VP 1998, 99
Pat Harwell Sec 2001, 02
Ray Johnson Pres 1986, 87, VP 1985
Rick Jones Pres 2000, 01, 02
Don Kersten President 1970, 75, 76, VP 1968, 69
Kevin Knapp Sec 2011
James T. Knight 111 Sec 1973, 74, 75
Peter Krieg Treas 1969, 70, 71, 72
Doug Lane Pres 1990, 91, VP 1988, 89
Steven Langjhar Sec 1971, 72, Tres 1973
Mike Layman VP 2006
David Little Sec 1983, Treas 1984
Ruth Lind Sec 2003, 04, 05
David Lowe VP 1992, Sec 1991,
Mark MacSkimming VP 2019, 20
Rick McPerson Tres 1991, 92, 93, 94
Cory Miller VP 2013, Sec 2012, Tres 2011
Glen Moyer VP 1997, Sec 1996, Tres 1999
Koh Murai Tres 1997
Mick Murphy Pres 2013, Tres 2012
Bill Murtoff Pres 1979, 80
Marsha Neal VP 1993, 95, 96
Bud Newhouse VP 1984Tres 1983
Orvin Olivier VP 2004, Tres 2000, 01, 02
Sam Parks Pres 2014, 15
Peter Pellegrino President 1967, 68, 69 VP 1970, 71, 72
Wilma Piccard VP 1973, 74
Darlene Provencher Sec 1977, 78
David Rapp Pres 1994, Sec 1989, 90, 93, Tres 2013
Tina Reeves VP 2000, Sec 1998, 99
Colvin Rouse Tres 1979, 80, 81
Gary Ruble VP 2008, Tres 2009
Jonathan Sapp Tres 1976, 77
Rob Schantz Pres 1997
Tom Sheppard Pres 1984, 85
Josh Sneed VP 2021, 22
Deke Sonnichson Sec/Tres 1968
Jacques Soukup Pres 1989, Sec 1988
Kingswood Sprott Jr.Treas 1975
Debbie Standefer VP 2010
Maury Sullivan Treas 2014, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Charles Sundquist Pres 1998, 99, VP 1994,
Jim Thompson Pres 1988, Sec 1997
Tom Tyler Sec 1994, 95,
J. Michael Wallace Pres 1992, 93, 95, 96
Ken Walters Sec 2009, 10
Mark West Pres 2020, 21
Beth Wheeler Sec 1992,
Cheri White Pres 2018, 19, VP 2016, 17
Robert Willbanks VP 2001, 02
Geoffrey Woodhouse Sec 1980, 81
Scott Wooge VP 2014, 15, 16, 18
Allen Yost Treas 1995, 96
-
Early FAA Balloon Pilots Licenses
After Raven developed the first modern hot air balloon in 1960 – 1961, there was no pilots license requirements by the FAA.
-
Early in 1969
Early in 1969, one of my first contracts was with CVS stores, owned by Melville Shoe Corporation. I would fly from the local CVS store and would throw out ping pong balls numbered with discounts as I took off. -
S-40's
We were flying S-40's (very small balloons)back in the late 60's. The tops were shrinking and we couldn't understand why. The solution was,
-
Dirty Ballooning
4 squeaky clean pilots went up in the same basket. Two men, and two women. Nobody here was married, but they were all pilots. Each offered advice on the "best" way to fly today. -
Fall of 1973
I saw my first balloon in the fall of 1973. A Stokes balloon came to town and tethered as a means of bringing attention & excitement to the tourist town of Helen, GA.
Then in October of 1973 a balloon was purchased to promote the town. It was a Piccard AX-6. It was tethered to stop traffic and to get publicity for the city.
It was purchased by a cousin, Lanier Chambers. He took me for my first ride in October 1973. I was a teenager and thought this was a really neat thing to do. I began crewing, helping inflate, tether and chase. It wasn’t long before I was tethering the balloon myself and helping to draw a crowd into town.
One day in November 2013, Lanier showed up with some “new†webbing tether lines he had just gotten at the Army Surplus store. We inflated and tied down the balloon to tether with the new lines. It wasn’t long before I took my first flight as pilot in command, as the “new†tether webbing broke and off I drifted down the valley.
After that inadvertent first flight as pilot in command, I went on to fly the balloon a good bit for the next year and a half, before in 1975, I became the first licensed balloon pilot in the area. The FAA discovered we all had been operating the balloon without a license and I was chosen to be the one who would get theirs first.
Since that first broken tether line, I have logged over 2500 hours in a balloon – both hot air and gas. In addition to hot air and gas ratings, I also have a Single Engine Land airplane rating and have over 500 hours in airplanes. I have flown balloons in many places all over the world. One of the neatest flights was just this past January 2013 when we flew across the snow covered Alps in Austria in a hot air balloon.
My fascination with tethering the balloon to promote our city has grown into building balloons for a living. I designed and received FAA Type Certification approval for building balloons. Since 1975, we have built over 400 hot air balloons which are flying all over the world.
-
Ed Yost - BFA History Letter
A Letter to the BFA From Ed Yost
Those who flew, pass it on to you!
The Balloon Club of America represented by Pete Pelegreno, Don Kersten, a lawyer from Iowa and neophyte balloonist plus Ed Yost, a veteran flyer, all traveled to Washington D.C.
After a five year study and development period, the modern hot air balloon had emerged in 1960.
A new style of aero club was needed under the jurisdiction of the National Aeronautic Association with the help and support of NAA's Randy Randelman. Our group labored a full week creating our new organization. "The Balloon Federation of America".
Each of the voluntary participants involved donated their time, travel, meal and hotel costs. Before departing at the conclusion of our conclave, we also each contributed $100.00 as a nucleus for financing. This organization has had numerous problems as many fledging groups do.
My person advice to all is: Don't be a hog! Be kind, helpful and a loyal friend to all new balloon people. Get them involved in activities so they don't feel like an outsider. Balloons are precious!, make our organization likewise!
This is the only organization we have; I am asking you to please join the BFA and give something back to this wonderful sport.
-
Lake Michigan Crossing 1982
By T.Sheppard/G. BrittonTwo Michigan pilots flew from West Bend Airport to Stanton Michigan on Saturday February 13, 1982 in a Cameron 077.
-
Balloon Club of America - history
By Don PiccardAn early BCA member was Tony Fairbanks who had been a student pilot in the Cleveland Balloon Club before WWII.