Young Balloon Pilots Making Mark

There's a new generation of balloon pilots coming of age, and we're going to take a look at several of them over the next few weeks. First up is Colin Graham of Roanoke, Virginia.

Now a seasoned 22 years old, Colin was a BFA Junior Balloonist who graduated to being a commercial balloon pilot owning his own balloon ride company, Endeavor Ballooning. He's flown in 17 states, made lots of friends in ballooning, and earned a living for several years flying.

The local CBS TV station recently made a video for their "Beyond the Forecast" weather series, starring Colin as "one of the youngest commercial balloon operators in the world." Appearing young, confident, and professional, he tells his tale while flying the camera crew. There are some very interesting graphics that show how a balloon rises and descends to change direction that will actually help the clueless to finally get it. This is tied into how these same winds also steer clouds and storms. Clever, and Colin does a good job representing ballooning. Officially about "air parcel buoyancy and steering currents" the balloon flight steals the show. Overall a very positive piece.

It's exciting to see fresh faces bringing new enthusiasm into ballooning. You can learn more about ballooning youth programs, and ideas for teaching balloons in schools, and if you'd like to join Colin and learn to fly, here's how.