Terry became involved in hot air ballooning when the U.S. Nationals came to Columbia, MO in 1994. He became a crew member for a pilot out of Arizona. Terry soon fell in love with ballooning and obtained his private pilot license and purchased his first hot air balloon in 1996. His licensed is issued by the FAA and has a designation of Lighter than Air with an onboard heater. As a pilot Terry must continue his training and “re-certify” every two years to ensure optimum performance.

In 1999 Terry had enough experience he could apply and obtain his Commercial pilot license. This allows him to give paid rides and train other aspiring pilots. Terry currently has over 500 hours as a pilot in command with no accidents. This is due to his careful preparation and high safety standards while flying.

Ballooning has given Terry the opportunity to visit and fly in several states and in the country of Mexico. As a corporate pilot for American Standard, he attended several events and participated in the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, NM for 8 years. His two favorite events are the Festival de Globo in Leon, Mexico and The Great Forest Park Balloon Race in St. Louis, MO.

Sharing the experience of ballooning is one of his favorite past times. Seeing the joy and wonder in the eyes of his passengers is one of the most rewarding things he has experienced.

Terry has been joined in ballooning by his wife, Cindy and son J.T. You will see them helping with the balloon and prepping the passengers for their flight.

Hello! Cindy has been around ballooning most of her life in some form or another. She spent many years as a spectator and as an adult started crewing for balloons and in June of 2009 married Terry and became the wife of a balloon pilot. She loves sharing her knowledge of ballooning with others either in a formal or informal way. As crew chief, her main duties include briefing passengers on balloon flight safety, making sure all the paperwork is done and organizing the crew to make sure all crew positions are filled and know what is expected for that job. Cindy usually leads the chase crew on its hunt for the balloon after it has launched.

Events in Leon, Mexico and Albuquerque, NM has been some of the most fun events she has attended. They are both large events with regular and special shaped balloons. She would love to have a special shaped balloon at some point.

After spending many years supporting the pilot and chasing the balloon, Cindy has recently obtained her student balloon pilot license and plans on learning how to fly on her own.

Expect to speak with Cindy when you contact our business and schedule your unique flight experience.