Jim Birk is celebrating a quarter of a century in ballooning. His logbook reflects an average of more than 100 hours flown in each of those years. Those two accomplishments alone are enough to distance Birk from many of his peers, yet they are only the tip of the iceberg when one sets out to review his ballooning career.
Of course, there was a time when Birk was not so much interested in the sky as he was in the earth. It was a time when Birk answered to the call "professor" as easily as he does to the name Jim. You see, long before he was a balloonist, Jim Birk was a professor of geology, a rock hound of sorts. Rather than trekking off to the US National Championships, North American or World Championships, Birk could be found in the wilds of west Texas' Big Bend country studying dinosaurs and rock formations.
"Actually," Birk explains, "I got into ballooning because I took a teaching job at a college in Ohio (Defiance College) which happened to be the first college in America to offer a not for credit ballooning course. One morning I was having coffee with another professor in the science department (who just happened to be the school's balloon pilot) and he asked if I could help teach the course the next semester." Birk's response was to say that before he could teach ballooning he needed to know something about it. His colleague immediately offered to teach him to fly and the earth never seemed quite the same to Birk.
Competitive by nature, Birk is best known in ballooning today for his ties to competitive ballooning, both as a highly skilled pilot and perhaps even more so, as one of the world's top competition directors. Surprisingly though, he credits his work in the commercial end of ballooning, flying rides and operating commercial contracts, as greatly contributing to his skills.
"I think what commercial ballooning does is to introduce you to some elements that you might not otherwise be introduced to," he says. "Commercial balloonists probably tether in winds higher than what you might do just for the kids down the block and I think we make some flights that probably occur when most sport balloonists would not take a balloon out and fly for fun. The end result of that is your technique and skill level increases, so that when you get into some of these competitions, you learn to expect more from yourself and your skill level is higher than someone who flies largely for fun."
In fact, "flying for fun" is a phrase Jim Birk has little use for. "I don't like the term fun flying," he readily admits. "I like the idea of enjoying the flight when its over and the balloon is put away, and I probably enjoy myself when I'm flying, but I don't take the balloon out to have fun! I think the idea of frivolity in the air is something I can't agree with. Every time I fly I'm in some kind of competitionÑeven flying rides I'm trying to navigate to get to a certain point, just for my own enjoyment and satisfaction," says Birk.
"I think that some people who find themselves in dangerous situations in a balloon," he continues, "allow the balloon to fly them there. I think when you constantly try to put a balloon someplace, even though you may not land there, when the crunch time comes-and it comes for everybody, you're better prepared to make the maneuvers and make the decisions to allow you to land safely."
In 1980, Birk was competing for the US National Championship when, disgusted with the tasks being called and overall quality of the competition, he laid down his markers and drove home, convinced changes had to be made. In a few short weeks his actions led to his being named Championship Director for the next three years. Birk has never looked back. Today his name is synonymous with top quality competition and more often than not you'll find Birk fulfilling the role of Championship Director rather than competition pilot. It is a job that delivers great satisfaction he says. "I get a great deal of enjoyment," Birk explains, "when a task works, when it is as challenging as possible and when it requires what I consider to be the highest skill level possible. Of course, standing on the ground I am the greatest pilot in the world," he chuckles, "because I know every mistake every pilot made. I only wish I could remember them the next time I go out and fly!"
Looking to the future Birk is extremely excited about the prospects for the upcoming US Team Championships and what this event could mean to competitive ballooning and the sport in general. He sees this new concept as an exciting way for many pilots not previously interested to discover competitive ballooning.
But while looking forward he can't help but cast any eye over his shoulder, especially as he crosses the quarter century post, for there is one goal that still eludes him. "I've always wanted to win the US National Championship. Unfortunately, as I look back, I probably gave up my best competitive years while serving as the Championship Director at the Nationals," he says in a matter of fact way.
Jim Birk's destiny may not include a national championship. Anyone who has won one will tell you that everything has to come together just right - age, experience, skill, weather, and yes, even luck. Like stars in the heavens the alignment of these elements often seems guided by an unseen hand. But many a champion can thank Jim Birk for calling the tasks and setting the challenge that led to their title. In that regard, Jim Birk is the champions' champion.
CAREER NOTES:
*US National Championship Director 1981,82, 83, 84, 87 and 89
*Top ranked competitive pilot in US 1991
*Member US World Balloon Team 1981, 83, 85 and 91
*Recpient of the Shields-Trauger Award for service to ballooning 1986
*Recipient of Albert Desmond Award for service to competitive ballooning 1991
*FAI Championships Diploma awarded 1991
*Chairman of the Board, BFA Competition Division 1990, 91,92
*Owner/operator of The Kroger Company balloon advertising program since 1985
*Owner/operator of Pepe Penguin special shape balloon program
*Competition Division Directors Award 1992
*Competition Division Sage Award 1990