August2000
but he has wings. The Louisville, Kentucky teen-ager is one of the
youngesthotairballoonpilotsinthenation.Thesonofa
commercial hotair balloonpilotanda commercialjetpilot, he
made his solo flight onhis fourteenthbirthday.
Mostteen-agerslongforfreedom.Donnerhasfoundit,
floating above trees and green pastures in hisRainbow Drifter, a
1991 Aerostar. The $5,000his family paid for the used balloon,
basket and burner has Donner literally floating above his friends
who simply long for a chance to drive the family car.
“I’ve beenaroundthis all mylife,” saidDonner, whowas
eight when hisfather, Ray, started flyingballoons. Hismother,
Terri, fliesaBoeing727for UnitedParcelService. She isnot
nervous at all about her first-born leaving the nest and stretching
is flying wings. After all, she started flying when she was 17. His
youngerbrother,namedafterCharlesLindberghandcalled
Chase for the balloon chase crews, is 13and plans to solo on his
birthday later this year. Baby sister Amelia—named for Amelia
Earhart—isonlynine butDonneriscertainshe’ll continue the
family tradition.
Donner flies with the joy of a 16-year-old tempered with an
unflappable personality, the discipline he’s learned as anEagle
Scout andthe caution of a father with a newbornchild.
His child in this case is that precious multi-colored swath of
nylon. Bright strips ofrainboworange,yellow, green, blue indigo
and violet, rise vertically from a darkstair-stepped background.
At the recent Freedom WeekendAloft, inAnderson, South
Carolina thispastMemorialDayWeekend,hetookRainbow
Drifterskyward on a Saturday morning when festival organizers
said there was toomuch wind. The day appeared to be calm and
itwas, as Donnerandsixother pilots whocouldn’tbear tobe
groundedheadedouttofloatonairforaboutahalfanhour.
Weather forecasters predictedthunderstormslater thatdayand
the next and this might be the onlychance to fly.
Three balloons rose from a wide lawn at a local manufactur-
ingplant as Donner, his mother, brother and three new acquain-
tancesrolledoutRainbow Drifterandfilleditwithair.He
followed the other balloonists into the air. Several other balloons
came into view onthe horizon.
Donner flew over the balloon festival site, then sighted in on
anotherballoonist’struckparkedata localpancake house.He
releasedsome airandloweredthe balloonenoughtoleave his
callingcard,intheformofastripofnylondroppedover the
vehicle. Hewaved at another pilot standing at the restaurant door,
then lifted skyward again. Across a busy highway helowered into
a residential neighborhood for a bit of contour flying close to the
treetops. “Just for fun,” he said. Just another teen-ager on a little
joyride.
The blue water of Lake Hartwell came into view, and so did
a large, level field that looked perfect for landing. “Don’t land in
crew saw some horses grazingthere.
By then Donner already had his eye on another field, where
one of the other balloons hadalready landed. He gentlybrought
the basket down to earth, softly touching down on a red clay road.
Apairoftwinsandtheiryoungerbrother—allyoungerthan
Donner—ranto offer help and admiration. With a small blast of
fuel, the basket floated just above the ground. It was easy for the
grouptowalkitovertothegrass.Curiousadultscamefrom
subdivision homes to greet the balloonists and were impressed by
this pilot’s youthand his knowledge as he answered their ques-
tions.
Donner’s headmaybe inthe cloudsbut his feetare on the
ground. He’s practical and levelheaded. A rising sophomore, his
favorite subjectsare math and history at schoolin Louisville.
Naturally,hewantstobeanairplanepilot.Hehasafew
milestonesontheway.InNovemberhegetshisfulldrivers
license, but it’s his 18 birthday that’s circled in red on his mental
calendar.That’s the day heplans togethis commercial hotair
balloon pilot license.
Donner took first place in his first ever balloon race, on July
4,1998.HefinishedfifthoverallintheBalloonSocietyof
Kentucky’s race seriesthat year.
FlightswerecanceledSaturdayandSundayattherecent
Freedom Weekend Aloft because of windy conditions, but Mon-
daymorningheldperfectblueskies. Festivalofficials saidthe
timeisrightandabout30pilotstookoffnorthofthecityof
Anderson, drifting lighter than air toward a flagpole holding the
keytoa new car anda biggreenX onthe balloon field.
CarsdrivingonInterstate85lookedupatthecolorful
balloons overhead on a Memorial Day. Myriad hues and combi-
nations of reds, blues, yellowsandgreens shinedasbrightly as
theclear morningsunshine.Astheyrosefromgreenpastures,
Donner and the other pilots that Memorial Day felt the joy of the
freedom that Americansoldiers fought anddiedfor.
Donner’s ride oncurrents of wind broughthim short of the
flagpole that morning.Heskimmedlessthana foot above the
ground and took aimat the green X but his throw was short. He
landed the balloon on a field at a neighboring school and brother
Chase ran to assist. In khaki shorts and matching green and white
shirts, the young brothers worked together in a harmony that said
they’dbeenthere, done that many times before as they deflated
the balloonandprepared to packit away for another day.
Another pilot wonthe eventthatday. Noone wonthe car.
ButDonner walkedaway a winner again.That’swhathappens
every time he reaches uptotouchthe sky.
Anna Simon is a writer who lives in South Carolina and
thinks Freedom Weekend Aloft is the best thing that has happened
to her hometown.
