by Tom Hamilton
In 1974 Bob Corey told his first balloon ride
in a Piccard balloon with a pilot named Eddie Wheeler. Like many balloon
pilots today, that first ride didn't cost much, but the second ride was
going to be a bit more. Having recently been discharged from the military
where he flew airplanes and helicopters, Corey knew that this was more than
just one of a kind of flying to "try."
Corey didn't want to just learn how to fly balloons. He wanted to also fly in the Kentucky Derby balloon race, a prestigious event that is more a showcase for corporate balloons in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
"You either had to have your own sponsor or go on a waiting list. I didn't want to wait! I'd met someone with Brown and Williamson and started there. When I first started talking to them, I didn't even have a license. I basically sold them on my enthusiasm."
Twenty-five years later Corey is still flying for KOOL. Not only is that a long time for a balloon contract, there is no written contract. Just a handshake.
In a 1990 article in Balloon Life Robbie Ashe, communications coordinator for Brown & Williamson says, "It's a unique way of promoting and enhancing [our] presence... it creates brand awareness. It's sort of a tradition. We're very proud of it."
The original balloons, many have been retired, were solid green standard shapes with four big white lettersKOOL. Today Corey has added a special shape Indy style race car.
Corey, with Tom Gable, helped to organize the KOOL Pro Balloon Tour in the late 70's and early 80's. Mostly corporate balloons traveled a circuit of cities competing for prize money. The first year the tour went to ten cities. By the last year it had east and west divisions with a championship in Las Vegas.
During the flying season Bob stays on the road most of the time. Much of it spent in tethers for a local distributor or wholesaler, at grand openings, or trade shows.
With the race car shaped balloon Corey has traveled even further for his sponsor. Trips last year included Japan, Australia, and Portugal.
The most important part of his job is getting the maximum exposure for his client. Often he declines to fly photographers or cameramen because he knows that a camera in his basket will be taking pictures of other balloons. He'd rather have the KOOL balloon in the picture.
Corporate ballooning can be lonely work says Corey, "The biggest negative... how many (corporate) balloonists do you know who are divorced?"
Corey, divorced himself, used to find himself torn between working and keeping a date with his young son. Bobby, now 15, has joined dad on some his ballooning trips and is becoming an experienced crew member.
"You've got to like to travel," Corey says. "Monetary rewards are not the only one though. Wherever I go, I like to pick out a little boy or girl who's a little shy, a little scared. The first time they are around the balloon or get in on a tether, they don't know what to expect.
"By the end of the weekend, after the kid comes back and I see that face..." Corey, who looks like a big teddy-bear, shakes his head and grins as big as his imaginary kid.
While Corey's relationship with KOOL has been a long one, it is not his only involvement in ballooning. He has several smaller corporate accounts, gives balloon flying lessons, a balloon dealer, a repair station, and puts on balloon events.
"You've got to do a little of everything in ballooning to make a living," he says. Since 1975, ballooning has been his sole income.
It recent years Corey has started another balloon tour circuit. Modeled after the original KOOL Pro Tour, his new venture is generally limited to corporate balloons. He has kept a few spaces available for local balloonists in each town.
The longest running corporate balloon contract just keeps going and Corey shows no sign of slowing down.
