9ND37961a-PaulDdeBerjeoisBallooning 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.

Biographies

 

 

 


Oct 25 2022 | DeanCarlton
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 [ ... ]

Sep 25 2016 | Orvin Olivier
 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. 

Sep 25 2016 | Bob Waligunda
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  [ ... ]

Sep 25 2016 | Bob Waligunda
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,

Sep 25 2016 | RICK JONES
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.

Nov 09 2017 | Ed Yost
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 Yos [ ... ]

More History Stories