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.
"I look forward to sharing with, each of you, your own unforgettable flight experience."
©2010 Pueblo Balloon Company - All Rights Reserved - Designs by Diana
KEVIN "WIL" WILBUR, Pilot
