The Colorado Balloon Club

Promoting Ballooning Throughout Colorado

 

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                     Experience Ballooning in Colorado

                                   Welcome to the Colorado Balloon Club website!

The Colorado Balloon Club (CBC) was created 47 years ago to promote hot-air and gas ballooning throughout the state of Colorado.  

Our website is designed to serve as a resource for pilots, crew and enthusiasts to find more information about flying in the Denver/Ft Collins area and throughout Colorado.  We invite you to browse our site, contact us with questions.


  

Colorado Hot Air Balloon Club


Frank E. Kafka (87) passed away November 7, 2020 in Denver, Colorado.  

At age 53, Frank retired from IBM and began his second career as a commercial hot air balloon pilot.  Ballooning took Norma and Frank to places around the country and the world.  Over the years Frank held a number of positions in the Colorado Balloon Club including secretary, vice-president and president. He was a founding board member of the Chatfield Balloonport Association which created a permanent launch field at Chatfield State Park.  He recruited other balloonists and initiated an annual tradition of giving rides to patients at Craig Hospital.  

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Don Piccard passed away on September 14, 2020 at the age of 95.  He was the 
pioneer who invented modern hot air ballooning together with Ed Yost in the 1960s.


FAA Safety Team | Safer Skies Through Education

"Lighter Than Air Outreach Series - Flying Albuquerque"


Topic: This live webinar will feature Scott Appelman as he provides insight on flying Albuquerque.

On Monday, September 27, 2021 at 

18:00 CDT

16:00 PDT

17:00 MDT

19:00 EDT

13:00 HST 

15:00 AKDT

16:00 Arizona

23:00 GMT

Select Number:
CE01107928

Description:

As Albuquerque prepares to welcome hundreds of balloon pilots from around the US and World, local flying expert Scott Appelman will discuss flying Albuquerque. From new pilots to seasoned pros, you'll learn a tip or two about flying the local area! Questions are encouraged with this LIVE presentation. 

Scott is the founder and president of Rainbow Ryders, Inc.- the largest balloon ride business in the United States. Rainbow Ryders operates 26 balloons year round doing over 2200 flights per year. Flying over 22,000 passengers annually. 

In 1983, Scott established Rainbow Ryders, Inc. a commercial hot air balloon company offering rides, tethers, promotions, instruction and all sales aspects of hot air ballooning. Rainbow Ryders, Inc. has operated the Official Hot Air Balloon Ride Concession for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta since 1999. Scott has logged more than 5100+ pilot in command flight hours, 700 tether hours, and is also a special shape balloon pilot.

To view further details and registration information for this webinar, click here.

The sponsor for this seminar is: FAASTeam

The following credit(s) are available for the WINGS/AMT Programs:

Basic Knowledge 3 - 1 Credit

Click here to view the WINGS help page

Map Information for North Denver, Erie, Frederick

See the original article in the September 2021 issue of the Hot Air Flyer.

North Denver PZ  KML File

This file includes those properties listed as a prohibited or sensitive zone on both the Erie and Frederick rally maps, and I’ve added a general “yellow zone” over the entirety of Boulder County given some of the issues balloons encounter when landing in BC Open Space.                        

 Also listed on this map are a few spots marked blue, which indicates common launch sites.  Please note that while Parkland Airport in Erie (noted blue on the map) is both balloon friendly and highly amenable to balloon launches, it requires permission and a form to be submitted prior to launching from there, and I’d be happy to help line you up with what you’d need to know for flying at Parkland.  Most of you already know about getting your insurance on file with the town of Frederick if  you choose to launch from Centennial park, but if you don’t, Michael Gianetti is the person to contact about that.

Link:   North Denver PZ file  

Colorado High Voltage Power Lines KMZ File

Jeff Buesing created a map file that includes all of the high voltage powerlines in the entire state of CO that highlights these lines on your hot air map in neon green.  It’s strictly the high voltage lines so it won’t include the smaller lines.  Chris Liberti has been using this for the last 6 weeks and it’s absolutely amazing.  Highly recommend uploading this to your mapping software as well.  Please feel free to pass this along to anyone you know who may be regularly flying the area

Link:   Colorado power lines kmz file


I (Dave Phillips) have tested these two links useing my cell phone that has the Hot Air app installed and they work.

Hello Colorado Balloon Pilots,

 Hope for some of you - the Labor Day Lift Off went well!!! I may have already spoken to you or sent you details. Apologize for the redundant request. But…

 Reaching out to see if you we’re available to “Glow” a hot air balloon for us on Friday night, Sept 24thfrom 8-10pm. We understand there are plenty of hot air balloon events taking place this month. 

 Here are the details:

The 5th annual CCU Glow IS ON for Friday night September 24th from 8-10PM on the campus of Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colorado. 

We’re looking for 5 total pilots to participate. Out of those 5, 1 to 2 balloons to tether. This is a huge hit for the school and there very excited to be having the balloons back on campus.

Please let us know if your available to participate. CCU is still providing $200 cash gift, propane, hotel, dinner, a CCU swag bag and all the balloon crew you can handle of CCU athletes. 

Send over questions and if you know of another other pilots that would be available to participate – forward these details or send them our way. 

Thanks you for your time. Keep flyin safe!!!

Tim Matykiewicz

Arizona Events Group

C 480.560.9095

tim@azeventsgroup.com

www.azeventsgroup.com
Document
2021 CCW Glow Details
Document
2021 CCU Glow Fact Sheet

  Club Races are being organized on the Colorado Balloon Club Facebook page.

We encourage you to check out our sponsors!
 
 
Page updated September 17, 2021