Valley Children's Healthcare - Cheers

Pilot Brent Rolland - Los Altos, CA

Brent's first experience ballooning was as a crew person while attending High School. 10 years later, a chance introduction to some new neighbors rekindled the flame -- and now he's been flying for over 25 years! For Brent, it's the peace, the (usually) slow pace and the people he meets along the way that make the sport so great!"

RE/MAX

Pilot "Magic" Bob Locklin - Clovis, CA

Magic Bob (a professional magician and college business instructor) took his first balloon flight in 1997 and it was love at first flight. He started crewing for another pilot and was soon taking flying lessons. He bought his first balloon, "Magic’s Fantasy" in 1998. Magic Bob has flown all over the western states and even in Leon, Mexico. He holds a commercial lighter than air pilots certificate and has trained many new pilots.
Magic Bob’s favorite quote is one of Leonardo DaVinci’s, “For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned sky ward, for there you have been and there you long to return.”

Gypsy Spirit

Pilots Lauren and David Ball - Cherry Valley, CA

Syncronicity

Pilot Jeff Haliczer - Reno, NV

Jeff started ballooning in 1983 when he met a pilot in Gallup, NM and worked as a crew member for him for a number of years. After a couple of moves and finally landed in Reno where he eventually met another pilot who helped him finish his pilot certificate. He earned his private certificate in 2002 and commercial in 2007, now flying for fun and to share the gift of flight with others. Jeff flies year round, averaging 100 hours a year, doing fun flights and traveling to events.
Jeff also has two special shaped balloons and has flown in Taiwan for the Taiwan International Balloon Festival.

Spherical Turtle

Pilot Paul Heiken - Albany, OR

Mariposa II

Pilot Don Heisig - Holt, CA

Don Heisig flies Mariposa II. He lives at Roberts Island Aerodrome in Holt on the California Delta. In addition to California, he has flown events in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Leon, Mexico. His wife Linda is also a pilot and Don's Crew Cheif. They have been active in ballooning since 1997, crewing and then getting their first balloon in 2004. Don and Linda received their pilot certificates together in 2006.

Top-O-The-Morning

Pilot Patrick McGrath - Yucaipa, CA

Shadowdancer II

Pilot Gale Mott - Fresno, CA

Gale Mott flies Shadow Dancer II out of Fresno, Calif. His love for flying began at a young age and he has a passion for anything that flies!! He has had the opportunity to fly fixed wing and gliders, but still waiting for his jet!! Gale has been flying balloons since 1986 and is happy to be here in Ripon, sharing the joy and supporting Valley Children's Hospital!!

Sundancer

Pilot Brann Smith - Chico, CA

Brann Smith had his first experience with hot air ballooning over 20 years ago, when this unique sport became his passion. He completed his commercial pilot training in 1999 and began flying in Oregon with his own company. Brann says he believes hot air ballooning is not just about flying, but the people you encounter and the wonderful experience and memories we create together.
Brann has flown in seven states; Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and now California. Currently living in Chico, California, he is again flying as a business and giving back to the community where he grew up. His hope is to share the joy and serenity of floating through the air with as many people as he can, to inspire the feeling of freedom and adventure to the hearts of others.

Free Spirit

Pilot Dana Thornton - San Jose, CA

Dana started his aviation addiction in 1977 when he earned his private pilot’s fixed wing license. Soon after, He got the ‘lighter than air’ bug when he started crewing for his older brother on his hot air balloon in 1978. He received his commercial balloon license in 1980. Dana started making balloon flights in the dark before sunrise, called ‘Dawn Patrol’ flights in 1981 and continues to do so today. He has flown in every ‘Dawn Patrol’ flight at the Great Reno Balloon Race since 1984. 2017 will make it the 34th GRBR ‘Dawn Patrol’ year.
Dana has over 800 hours of fixed wing time and 1800 hours of hot air balloon time. He has flown to greater than 18,000 feet five times. He has flown at speeds of 46 MPH in a hot air balloon. He has flown over the Diablo Mountain Range from the Morgan Hill area to the Central Valley four times. He has flown as far as 56 statute miles away from his take-off point in a hot air balloon. His crew gave him the nickname ‘Boomerang’ because there have been many flights where he was able to find winds that would allow him to navigate back to the same field that he took off from.

Farmers Daughter

Pilot Karalyn Mumm - Reno, NV

After growing up on a farm in Minnesota and moving all over, Karalyn eventually moved to Reno, NV and attended the Great Reno Balloon Race in 2011. She fell in love with balloons and began volunteering for GRBR, crewing for local pilots and helping with High Sierra Balloon Camp. She decided her next step was to become a pilot. She purchased her balloon, “Farmer's Daughter” in 2015 and completed her pilot certificate one year later in 2016.
She's excited to share her love of the ballooning with anyone and everyone who agrees that it's the BEST REASON EVER to set your alarm clock!

Distraction X

Pilot Dan Walsh - Redlands, CA

Dan Walsh became licensed as a balloon pilot in 1983 while living in Illinois. Dan spent his leisure time flying over corn fields and negotiating the Illinois winds. Dan and his wife Wendy moved to Redlands, CA in 1986. Their adult children are married and they have 6 grandchildren. Now in retirement, they like to travel and balloon as much as they can.

Gem

Pilot Doug Adamczyk - Fairfield, CA

Doug's interest in ballooning and aviation started at the age of 5 when he lived in Albuquerque, NM. It was not until he was in high school in Ohio before he had the opportunity to crew for a balloon pilot. That hooked him and he's now been crewing for over 30 years.
Ten years ago Doug received his pilots license for single engine airplanes. Then, in 2013 he jumped at the opportunity to buy a balloon and received his Lighter Than Air rating one year later. He is currently a member of Northeast Ohio Balloon Pilots Association, the Balloon Federation of America and also the Pacific Coast Aeronauts. Doug has also flown balloons in 5 states and participated in multiple balloon festivals in CA, OR, NY, OH, and MI.

EasyRiser

Pilot David Lester - Tracy, CA

David has been with the sport of ballooning since July 4th, 2003, when a hot air balloon wandered over his house from the Tracy July 4th festival. He bought his own balloon in 2006 and has been enjoying piloting since then. Mostly flying out of Tracy California, he tends to go where good friends and fun take him.