Hocus Pocus

A good crew is an essential part of ballooning. Crew members are responsible for many things throughout the course of a flight including setting up the equipment, providing ground support while the balloon is in the air, packing the equipment after the flight, and community relations along the way. The Ca-Zoo Balloon Team has put together a "Crewing 101" page that breaks down some of the aspects involved.

Crew members come from all walks of life, they can be former or future pilots, friends and family of the pilot or other crew members, or any others who share a fascination with the sport. While there are some crew members for commercial operations who are paid for their efforts, most participate simply out of a passion for ballooning, the social aspects of it, and the occasional flights they earn along the way.

Our crew consists of family, a few co-workers, fellow members of the Great Plains Balloon Club, and many others that we have met along the way. If you would like to get involved yourself please contact US or the GPBC.

We are members of the Great Plains Balloon Club, a group of ballooning enthusiasts who share a passion for the sport and encourage anyone interested in ballooning to follow their dreams and keep the true spirit of ballooning alive and well. We also believe that maintaining an active membership in the Balloon Federation of America, a unified voice representing balloonists across the U.S., is a vital step to keep ballooning as an activity that can be experienced by people from all walks of life.

A special "Thank You" goes out to all of the landowners across the country who allow balloonists to launch and land on their property. If it wasn't for your hospitality none of this would be possible. We are at the mercy of the winds and consider ourselves lucky to meet so many wonderful people when we drop in uninvited. We hope you have had a pleasant experience and have some photos and special stories of your own to share with your friends and families.