3/17/2023 0 Comments Eric isoar![]() ![]() ![]() I never tire of sharing the sport with new people and have made some great friends over the years. I have found ballooning to be challenging, rewarding and peaceful all at once. ![]() I eventually went on to get my commercial license and now own a fleet of three balloons. In 1991with the help of my dad, I purchased my first balloon and got my license. It was this pilot who encouraged me to get my pilot's license thinking I should take my balloon experience to the next level. Over the next four years we traveled extensively to every balloon event we could - often driving the truck with the balloon equipment to and from events while the pilot traveled comfortably by airplane. Through a friend we started crewing for a local pilot and eventually became regular crew for him. Knowing that Albuquerque was the largest balloon festival in the world and the most photographed event in the world, I insisted that we go. My husband and I would always stop to take pictures whenever we saw balloons on our early morning drives. I was very interested in photography and balloons. One of my “official” events took me to Battle Creek, Michigan where I met Angela Lee, the love of my life, and we married the next year and began our adventureīio: My balloon experience started with a camera around 1986. That job took me all over the USA and I met many wonderful Balloonists, crew and friends. My job was to work with our Distributors and Dealers around the country and overseas and promote the Aerostar Brand. I moved to Sioux Falls, SD in 1987 and took a position as the National Sales Representative for Aerostar International, Inc. I specialized in doing hi-visibility advertising with the balloon and banners, Such as sitting over rush hour freeways with logos pointing at the traffic. I was frequently on TV shooting for PM Magazine based out of Portland. Oregon Balloon Adventures was my largest company in the 80’s. I have owned several balloon and inflatable advertising companies. His name was Dale Rice and he sat in his sky blue Pinto station wagon and told me he wanted me to go up 50 feet, fly 50 feet and land and I got my commercial license as I had plenty of hours. Things are a little different back there and than they are now. I got my Student license at 14, Private at 16 and Commercial at 18 respectively. It didn’t take them long to figure out if they taught me how to fly, they could haul an extra passenger so that’s how I accumulated hundreds of hours of flight time. I started chasing the local balloonists Charlie Sundquist, Scott Spencer and others after I had Finished my paper route and ridden my bike down to the fairgrounds. when we moved to Boise, Idaho in 1977, Scott Spencer was just starting the 1st Western Idaho Fair Balloon Rally. as they flew all hours of the day back then. Bio: I started my Ballooning career in Denver, Colorado in the mid 70’s when we would bug my Dad to go out to the valley and chase some of the balloon pioneers like Chauncey Dunn, Joe Wood, Bob Walsh etc. ![]()
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