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ED SMITH - What put that sparkle in my eye? Hot air ballooning! How did I get into ballooning?
The same way you are about to - I went for a flight! I was hooked! It took me about a year but I finally got a hot air balloon instead of a new car. That was in 1991 and I have been flying and loving it ever since. I have flown hot air balloons across the country from North Carolina to Phoenix, AZ and I can tell you this Rio Grande Gorge flight is the neatest I have done!
A military brat and ex-Air Force myself, I have been traveling all my life. After 20 years of installing computer systems and corporate data networks I was given the opportunity to drop out of that rat race, settle down in Taos and fly hot air balloons instead. Tough choice but I think I made the right one.
KEVIN WILBUR - first caught the hot air ballooning bug in 1995 when he moved to Tucson and volunteered to crew for a local company. Since then he has immersed himself in the profession, training with some of the country's finest pilots, including award-winning pilots Jeff Gilles (of California Dreamin) and Mike Fleury (of Fleur de Tucson).
As an FAA certified commercial pilot, he is also an instructor for student pilots in Tucson. He competes in many various balloon festivals including Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta and Chihuahua's Fiesta del Globo.
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"I look forward to sharing with, each of you, your own unforgettable flight experience."
ED SMITH, Pilot
©2011 Pueblo Balloon Company - All Rights Reserved - Designs by Diana
MEET OUR PILOTS:
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KEVIN "WIL" WILBUR, Pilot
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KRIS BRADEN - The joke is, Kris Braden, aka "Maverick", was born in a basket. His family purchased their first balloon in 1984 and he has been in the clouds ever since. At 8 years old, he knew he wanted to be a professional balloon pilot. Kris recieved his student pilot's license at age 14. He became one of the youngest pilots to fly in the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta when he earned his private license at age 16. He was also the youngest commercial pilot to fly a corporate balloon in the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta at age 18 and has been flying professionally ever since.
With over 3,000 hours of flying, Kris has flown a corporate balloon in over 38 states, done stunt flying for movies and TV shows and is proud to have taken first place in various events at balloon rally's across the country. Kris has flown 1 passenger to 14 passenger balloons and has a perfect safety record.
Flying is not only Kris' profession, it is his passion. He feels more at home in the air than he does on the ground.
KRIS BRADEN, Pilot
