Smokymtnballoons.com
Title
Smoky Mountain Balloon Adventures
Description
I began the company in 1983 after a career in retail management. It was the allure of the balloons, the color, majesty and the mystery that first attracted me to them. After crewing for an out of town pilot during a balloon race in Asheville, North Carolina, I decided to join a local balloonist as a volunteer crew person. After assisting that pilot for approx. 6 months, I made the decision to purchase a balloon and begin my pilot training. After receiving my instruction and FAA certification, and while continuing with my career in retail, I began attending weekend balloon rallies and races throughout the southeast.
While participating in a balloon meet in Kingsport, Tennessee, I met and became friends with Ken Maness, the general manager at WQUT, a local radio station. I invited Ken to fly with me and broadcast live from the balloon during one of the competitive flights, and he had a "BLAST".
After our landing (we placed 3rd in the competition) I could see that Ken was excited, and he expressed an interest in using a balloon for advertising purposes for his station. Three months later with the addition of PEPSI® as a co-sponsor, we were in the balloon advertising business. I then began offering champagne pleasure flights to the general public, and the making of a fulltime company was in place. I had worked 10 years in retail, and was ready for a change. So in April of 1983, The Wind Works Hot Air Balloon Company was born.
Additional Information
Related Domains
- Activities
- Air
- Aviation
- Balloon
- Balloon Flights In Tennessee
- Balloon Rides
- Ballooning
- Ballooning In Tennessee
- Forge
- Gatlinburg
- Gatlinburg Tennessee
- Gift Certificates
- Great Smoky Mountains
- Hot
- Hot Air Balloon Rides
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Hot Air Balloons
- Mountains
- Operators
- Outdoor
- Outdoor Activities In Tennessee
- Pigeon
- Pigeon Forge
- Pigeon Forge Tennessee
- Recreation
- Rides
- Sevierville
- Sevierville Tennessee
- Smoky
- Smoky Mountain Activities
- Tennessee
- United States
- In
- North America
- The