Rubens Kalousdian

by Wendy Ceccherelli

As a Brazilian engineering student enthralled by pictures of hot air balloons in the newspaper Manchete, Rubens Kalousdian began a hobby that would later become his full-time career. Together with four other friends, Rubens contacted local balloon instructor Victorio Truffi in Sao Paulo in 1981. Truffi had started ballooning in Brazil in 1970, a wealthy man who owned sixteen balloons and enjoyed teaching poor and working people to fly. Rubens learned to fly balloons from Truffi for fun, fully intending to pursue careers in engineering and then, in professional photography.

In 1987, Rubens and a group of ten or so local pilots met with Coronel Sebastiao das Neves Moraes of the Civil Department of Aviation to discuss the future of ballooning in Brazil. Out of that meeting was born the Brazilian Association of Ballooning, with Leonel Brites as its first president. Rubens was inspired to seek corporate sponsorship to continue his ballooning, and founded Rubic Balloons around this same time. One year later, Rubens became the first Brazilian balloon champion, in a balloon sponsored by Doritos. Ford sponsorship followed, and suddenly Rubens found himself making money in ballooning. A new career was born, in a country where full-time ballooning is still a novelty.

Rubens became a four time Brazilian balloon champion, and finished second in three other years since that first competition in 1988. "When I fly, I go out to win," he says. He serves as a balloon flight examiner and has represented Brazil in many international balloon events and competitions. That competitive edge must be in the Kalousdian geneshis business partner and brother Rui Kalousdian was the 1992 Brazilian balloon champ.

Due to the high cost of importing balloons, Brazil has developed a strong "cottage industry" in home-built, experimental balloons. Rubens built his first balloon for his Ford sponsor, and then went on to build 2-3 other balloons for friends in 1989. Rubic Balloons began in his grandmother's garage as a family affair involving his wife Marina and brother Rui. His father Rosdon, the former owner of a fabric company, served as "honorary president." His recent death leaves much sadness in the legacy of flight instruction, balloon sponsorship and manufacturing that he helped create. In November 1995, Rubic Balloons moved into a 750-square meters, four-story facility. Today Rubic Balloons is on its way to becoming the first and only South American FAI 31 type-certificated manufacturer.

Ballooning has provided the Kalousdian's with great adventures in their country. Two of those experiences have been chronicled in the pages of Balloon Life. The first adventure took place in March, 1993 and appeared in the June issue, Grand Canyons, Navigating Brazil's Rugged Beauty. The expedition to fly in the canyons of Itaimbezinho and Fortaleza was two years in the planning. The region is part of an enormous protected areaParque Nacional de Aparados da Serra.

The most recent adventure, September issue, described the planning and execution of making and flying the first Brazilian built special shape over the city of Sao Paulo.

Rubens sees a great future ahead for ballooning in Brazil, with an emerging market for passenger-ride ballooning. "Now is also a dangerous time for ballooning; the sport is growing faster than the training." So Rubens recently started a ground school for student pilots; Marina translates this magazine into Portuguese for them. With Rubens Kalousdian's vision and determination, there is no doubt that he will succeed in his quest to professionalize the sport of Brazilian ballooning.

1981-Begins flying balloons in Brazil
1987-Founds Rubic Balloons, a Brazilian balloon manufacturer and certified repair station
1987-One of the founders of the Brazilian Hot Air Balloon Association
1988-Wins first Brazilian Balloon Association Championship
1989-Builds first balloon
1990-Wins Brazilian Balloon Association Championship
1994-First place, Three Nations Balloon Cup (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay)
1995-Wins Brazilian Balloon Association Championship

1996-Wins Brazilian Balloon Association Championship

1996-Wins key grab, Saga, Japan