Forest Park Balloon Race Program 2018

28 The Great Forest Park Balloon Race • Presented by PNC Bank Purina #1 – Scott Wooge (St. Louis, MO) Scott & Cynthia Wooge have been involved with Ballooning since 1984. Currently Scott is an At-Large Director for the Balloon Federation of America/BFA & Treasurer of the local ballooning club: Gateway Aerostatic Assoc/ GAA. They sell balloons for Lindstrand Balloons USA & operate a Repair Station in the South County-St. Louis-area when they are not working at their full time jobs. Purina #2 – Ken Walter (Waukesha, WI) A balloonist since 1988, Ken has logged over 1,300 piloting hours. Walter, a full-time balloonist, owns and operates WindDancer Balloon Promotions. He lives in Waukesha, WI with his wife, Kay, and three boys, Jack, Ben and Max. WindDancer organizes balloon events, provides advertising/ promotional opportunities and offers passenger flights. Walter is also an authorized dealer for Lindstrand Balloons. The Walter family travels to balloon events across the country and enjoy the freedom and serenity that ballooning provides. Re/Max of St. Louis – Steve Mroz (St. Louis, MO) Steve started Flying Hot Air Balloons in 1978 and has Logged more than 3,800 hours in Hot Air and Gas Balloons with an accident free record. Mroz is FAA Certificated Pilot in Gas and Hot Air Balloons and is also an FAA Certificated Repairman. He has flown in many states throughout the U.S. including many corporate brand balloons. His most memorable flight was an altitude attempt flight to 35,00 Feet and an additional long distance winter flight of more than 276 miles non-stop. Mroz is currently the primary pilot for RE/MAX of St. Louis flying their balloons across the Region doing Aerial Advertising at various community events in the St. Louis-region. St. Louis Children’s Hospital — Keith Fear (House Springs, MO) A 28 year veteran Commercial Hot Air Balloon pilot, Keith owns and operates Balloons Over The Rainbow, Inc., one of the largest balloon ride companies in the United States. In addition to St. Louis, Balloons Over The Rainbow operates World Balloon in Albuquerque New Mexico, Pueblo Balloon in Taos New Mexico, Vegas Balloon Rides in Las Vegas and Orlando Balloon Rides in Orlando Florida. His company introduces thousands of people a year to ballooning and helps them create memories that will last a lifetime. Come join Keith for the experience of a lifetime! St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Tony Sandlin (Fishers, IN) Tony is the owner of Midwest Balloon Rides. Sandlin has flown more hours than any other balloon pilot in the state of Indiana over the last few years and has currently logged over 1575 hours in balloons total. He was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN and now lives in Fishers, IN with his wife, Gail and their 3 sons. Sandlin became involved in ballooning in 1989 after answering an ad in the Thrifty Nickel Newspaper looking for a person to join a hot air balloon crew team. From there he studied to become a private pilot and then became a commercial hot air balloon pilot in 2005. Tony sold his first balloon Inflated Ego and currently flies either Blown Away or the largest of his balloons Out of the Blue that carries one of the only baskets with a door in the tri-state area. Studio 2108 – Jady Wade (Eminence, KY) Thompson Price Kitchens Baths – Alan Zielinski (Niles, IL) Alan has had two passions, flying and architecture. When he is not managing his 60-year-old family architectural and design firm, he can be found at or near your local airport. Flying for more than 40 years, he began flying fixed wing aircraft in 1973 and discovered ballooning in 1979. Last year completed his 33rd year flying at Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico. With over 10,000 hours of accident free flying experience to draw on, Zielinski is often found speaking to aviation groups, instructing and writing safety related articles and is involved in teaching the Civil Air Cadets and flying in AA’s young Eagles Program. Retired from one of Chicago’s Top 500 Corporations as Chief Pilot, he is type-rated in the Citation series of jets, holds single pilot qualifications and currently holds six world speed records. Still flying Citations, Zielinski is certificated as an Airline Transport Pilot, Land & Sea and Commercial Pilot in Gliders and Balloons. He holds the distinction of being an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner for fixed wing and balloon operations and is a member of the FAA’s new FAAST Team. Alan has been awarded The Spence Award by the Chicago Flight Examiners Association and The Theo Award by Chicago Flight Instructors Association for his contributions to aviation safety and leadership within the aviation community. Wonder Bread – Chris Sabia (Kansas City, MO) In the spring of 2002 Chris became the pilot for the Wonder Hot Air Balloon team and is currently piloting the 90,000 cubic-foot Wonder balloon all across the United States. He has flown thousands of hours in a hot air balloon and in addition to Wonder, has flown commercially for RE/MAX®, Coca-Cola® and Kellogg’s®, and several local and regional contracts. In addition, Chris is also a Cameron Balloons dealer. Chris started a balloon event in Kansas City in 2005, called the Great American BBQ, and Balloons. Chris was on the executive committee for the event from 2005 until 2009. Chris was on the board of directors for the event from 2007-2009. Chris helped start the Overland Park Balloon festival in 2010, and was the Balloonmeister for the inaugural event in 2010. Chris is also an airplane pilot. He is an ATP (airline transport pilot), the PHD for airplanes. He is currently type rated in several jets. He flies commercial for the airlines. YPO - Kurt Vintense (St. Louis, MO) Kurt’s ballooning career started in 2016 when he received his first lesson. He was hooked from the start! He jumped completely into the activity and went straight for his Commercial license, flying at every opportunity over the past 2 years. Kurt is also a career fixed wing international corporate pilot, flying professionally for the past 25 years. He is heavily involved with the local St. Louis ballooning community, has nearly 8,000 hours of flight time, and loves to fly, whether it’s 5 degrees, or 95 degrees!. This is Kurt’s first year participating in The Great Forest Park Balloon Race, and he is looking very forward to flying his balloon, Eden, named after his and his wife’s first granddaughter.