December 2000
and hotels are among the many Michigan
industriesthat have reaped the benefitsof
marketing with hot-air balloons.
Interest in corporate ballooning has
grown due, in part, to the success of an-
nual ballooning events in Battle Creek,
which has drawn World Championship
events in1981, 1985 and 1995. Itremains
the only city to have hosted three world
hot-air ballooning championships.
Michigan has also spawned numer-
ousU.S.NationalandWorld balloon
champions who gottheir start inthe sport
there. That includes such luminaries as
Frank Pritchard,David Schaffer,Dave
Medema, Phil Glebe, Al Nels, and Bruce
Comstock, who won six U.S. titles and
one World Championship. And Denny
Floden, wholives near Flint,won thefirst
World Hot-AirBalloon Championshipin
1973, as well as the U.S. title in 1971.
“Michigan is an important place in
thehistoryofballooning,”Comstocksaid.
“Itwasone of the hotbedsof ballooningin
theearlyyears, around 1970. The number
of national and world champions from
here are pretty remarkable.”
Comstock was trainedby Flodenand
Pritchard, and Comstock went on to train
Schaffer.
“Almost all of these people are from
thesame trainingancestry. It’sjusta little
group of people who learned basically at
the same time but learned from one an-
other,” Comstock said.
Of the estimated 150 active balloon-
istsinthe state, the largestconcentrations
are near Battle Creek—which continues
to host major balloon events in July as
well as a holiday rally inDecember—and
in southeast Michigan, sometimes called
“balloonalley” by pilots there.
“Once you get out of the major met-
ropolitan areas, you’ve got some pretty
nice territory,” said Floden, who began
ballooningin1968 and has flown theGR-
R-ReatTonyballoonfor Kellogg’sfor 20
years. “Thelandscape hassome character
to it, it’s not flat.”
Althoughred zonesexistin the state,
ways instilled in student pilots.
“We were very cautiousand consid-
erate when we started,”Floden said. “We
were taught to be extremely considerate
and ishometo thePorcupine
Mountains.
“There aren’t as many roads as you
would like there to be,” Glebe said. Few
balloonistshave flown in the Upper Pen-
insula. Ron Centers, of Kalamazoo, has
flown in Marquette, but not often.
“It’s woolly. There are a lot of trees,
a LOT of trees,” he said. “But if you get
smartandpickyourlandingspotsup
there, you will find some farmland.”
Tom Bergeon, of Midland,isa desig-
natedexaminer for balloons.He hasflown
in Houghton, about as far north in the
Upper Peninsula as you can get.
“They get so much snow, they usu-
ally have twice the road width cleared,”
he said. “All you have to know is which
sideof the roadthe powerlines are on and
you come in and land at the other side of
the road.”
An easier flight was over five miles
of water, from the tip of Michigan’s mit-
tenover the Straightsof Mackinac, where
LakeMichigan turns into Lake Huron.
Bergeon landed on the southern part of
the Upper Peninsula.
And he’s flown into Canada several
times from Port Huron, north of Detroit,
but only with Canadian clearance.
“They’d say toland at the airportand
check in, then I say I can’t, and then they
saidtoland atthe border, andI said Ican’t,
sothey justsaid to come in atCustoms as
soon as we can,” Bergeon said.
Hardlyany balloonflightshave been
made over Detroit. With a population of
about 3 million, unfriendly airspace for
balloonsand an international border with
Canada, most ballooning is done at least
40 miles from the city.
Even Comstock, who has flown bal-
loonsin numerouscountries, won’t fly in
Detroit.
“I’veneverdonethat,Iwouldn’t
even consider doing that,” he said.
Glebe has flown fromDetroit, but
only when hedrifted into neighboring
Windsor, Ontario, with prior approval.
“Otherwise,ifyouwould stayin
Michigan, youwouldprobablyhave tofly
livestock and a lot of farms. You have to
be aware of the crops.”
Glebe, of Brighton, operates one of
two Pontiac balloonsaround the country,
sohe canappreciatethe diversityin flying
terrain Michigan has to offer.
“In the southern part of the state, it’s
primarily flat land, with a lot of agricul-
ture,”hesaid.“NorthernMichiganispretty
spectacular, butisextremelychallenging,
with national forests. But it’s one of the
most beautiful places you could fly. It’s
veryscenic,but it’svery challenging.
You can get caught in the middle of no-
where if you aren’t careful.”
Fewballoonistsliveinnorthern
Michigan. One is Jeff Geiger, who flies
about75 flightsa year intouristyTraverse
City, nearthe Boardman RiverValley,
overlookingGrandTraverse BayandLake
Michigan.
“We’re losing alot of ourlanding
areas because of rapidly dwindling farm
fields,” Geiger said.
There are plenty of cherry orchards
in the area, which produces two-thirds of
the world’s red tart cherries, he said.
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, north
of Wisconsin, is evenmore of a challeng-
ing site for balloonists. It is exceedingly
December 2000
an area that’s suitable,” he said.
Thereareseveralannualballoon
events in the state, some featuring sanc-
tioned racing for thousands of dollars in
prize money, and some, such as Jackon’s
HotAir Jubilee, offer prizesfor eachpilot
and contestssuch as a hula-hoop tossand
a golf ball drop and putt.
Balloon clubs used to existin Battle
Creek and Grand Rapids, but now, there
are just two in the state; about a dozen
members belong to the Michiana Balloon
south, and some 150 members belong to
the South East Michigan Balloon Asso-
ciation, which has a monthly newsletter,
sponsors an annual safety seminar and
holdsjustonemembershipmeetingayear.
Ann Arbor ishome to Cameron Bal-
loonsU.S., whichhasmanufactured2,800
balloons, several of them special shapes,
said co-owner Tucker Comstock. She,
along with her former husband, Bruce,
became the U.S. distributor of Cameron
Balloonsin 1975. Once type certification
balloon systems began in 1982.
Factoriesnear Flint also produced
about 75 Thunder & Colt balloons for
about three years in the late 1980s.
TheCameronfactoryacc epts
Cameron balloons for inspection and re-
pair. While the factory isn’t open to the
public, personal tours can be arranged.
“Balloonistsare always welcomed,”
TuckerComstocksaid. “We’re rightoff I-
94. There’s a sign in the front.”
MichianaBalloon Society, 10-15 members in southern Michigan,
northernIndiana,gather for periodicmeetings, annualHal-
loweenchilicookoffandcostume contest.Annualdues
are $15andinclude a periodic newsletter,Quick Re-
lease. Contact: P.O. Box48, Union, MI 49130.
SouthEastMichiganBalloonAssociation,nearly150
members, winter safetyseminar, one membership meeting
in November, PZ map updates. Annual dues are $20,or $30 for
afamily,or$50foracorporationandincludesamonthly
newsletter.Contact: P.O. Box 431503, Pontiac, MI 48343.
ChallengeBalloonfest,inHowell,lastfullweekendinJune,55-60
balloonsflyfive sanctionedflightsFridayafternoonthroughSundayafternoonin
competitionforapurseofmorethan$5,000,withthewinnerconsideredstate
champion; glow Saturday night with night skydivers; stunt kites, car show, medieval
village, music and other entertainment. Contact: Pat Convery, 123 E. WashingtonSt.,
Howell, MI 48843. 517-546-3920. www.michiganchallenge.com
Team U.S. Nationals & Airshow of Battle Creek, six days in early July, 130 balloons,
up to 10 flights scheduled Tuesday afternoon through Sunday morning in sanctioned
team competition and fiesta flying; more than $70,000 in prizes; some paid passen-
gers; airshow, amusement rides, arts and crafts, entertainment,flea market,fireworks,
two Balloon Illums. Contact: 2700 West Territorial Road, Battle Creek, MI 49015. 616-
962-0592. www.bcballoons.com
HotAir Jubilee,inJackson,mid-July,50-60balloonsflythe mediaFridaymorning;fun
competition flights Friday afternoon through Sunday morning, and a fun flight Sunday afternoon; all pilots get a prize, ranging
from a set of binoculars, to bicycles to airline tickets; $15,000 key grab, golf ball drop with a designated putter for a cash prize;
arts and crafts, classiccar show, children’s events,all-day entertainment, stunt aircraft, kites and bike demonstration; pilot picnic
and brunch. Contact: P.O. Box1838, Jackson, MI 49204. 517-782-1515. www.hotairjubilee.com
Re/MaxBalloonRallyfor Children’s Miracle Network, inDavisburg, near Pontiac, first weekendin August, 50 balloons fly
Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon in competition for more than $3,000 in prizes, part of the Oakland County 4-H Fair.
Contact:Denise Felker, 7300Dixie Highway, Suite 100, Clarkston, MI 48346. 248-620-1000.
Mid-Michigan Balloon Rally, in Mason, third weekend in August, 50 balloons fly five flights Friday afternoon through Sunday
afternoon in fun competition for a $7,500 purse; carnival rides, car rally, air show. Contact: Tom Bergeon, 26 South Diamond
Road, Mason, MI 48854. 517-676-1444.
Metamora BalloonFestival,fourthweekend inAugust, 25balloonsflytwoafternoonflights, FridayandSaturday, for fun
competition for a $600purse. Contact: PhilAndreae, P.O. Box16, Metamora, MI 48455. 810-678-2289.
MidlandRe/MaxUnitedWayBalloonFestival,inmid-September,70-75balloons;earlyarrivalsflythemediaThursday
afternoon, then tether Friday morning at area schools; fun competitions are held Friday afternoon through Sunday morning for
a $7,500 purse; Friday night glow; one competition features several Re/Max balloons as all hares; mini Grand Prix; skydiving,
entertainment. The public is asked to bring a donation for a food cupboard for admission to the festival. Contact. Tom Bergeon,
26South Diamond Road, Mason, MI 48854. 517-676-1444.
Holiday Balloon Fest, in Battle Creek, first weekend in December, 55 balloons fly four flights Friday afternoon through Sunday
morning, BalloonIllums onFriday andSaturdayfor sanctioned competition with $5,000 in prizes. Contact: Derrick J. Jones,
25WestMichigan Ave., Suite 1408, Battle Creek, MI 49017. 616-209-1792. www.hbfbcmi@aol.com
Arbor
Creek
Jackson
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