CIA International Ballooning Hall of Fame Ceremony

CIA International Ballooning Hall of Fame – 2018 Ceremony

The International Ballooning Commission (CIA), in conjunction with the Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum (AAIB), will hold the 2018 CIA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, October 5^th.  The HOF ceremony is traditionally held the evening before the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta opens on Saturday.

At the March 2018 CIA Meeting in Mallorca, Spain, the CIA announced 2018 candidates selected for induction into the CIA Hall of Fame: Mr. Per Lindstrand (Living) and Mr.  JoJo Maes (Posthumous).

Per Lindstrand (Sweden) is a remarkable Aeronautical Engineer, Pilot and Pioneer/Adventurer.  He has held world records for flights in hot air balloons in terms of distance, duration and altitude.  Per was the founder of Colt Balloons Ltd, later Thunder & Colt and eventually Lindstrand Balloons. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the AIAA Lighter-than-Air Technical Committee (American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics) in 2009.

JoJo Maes (Germany) is one of only a handful of pilots who have made over 1000 gas balloon flights.  He made over 1400 flights during his career. JoJo flew in Hot Air, and Gas Balloon World Championships as well as competing in the long distance Gordon Bennett Races. He was an active balloon instructor and balloon event organizer. In 1984, Maes was awarded the Montgolfier Diploma for significant performance in a Gas Balloon.

The CIA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be Friday, October 5^th at the Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum in Albuquerque, NM.  The ceremony is invitational.  For more details, contact the AAIB Museum office.