The Colorado Balloon Club

Promoting Ballooning Throughout Colorado

 

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                     Experience Ballooning in Colorado


                                   Welcome to the Colorado Balloon Club website!

The Colorado Balloon Club (CBC) was created 48 years ago to promote hot-air and gas ballooning throughout the state of Colorado.  


Our website is designed to serve as a resource for pilots, crew and enthusiasts to find more information about flying in the Denver/Ft Collins area and throughout Colorado.  We invite you to browse our site,
contact us with questions.


 

Colorado Hot Air Balloon Club


 

Frank E. Kafka (87) passed away November 7, 2020 in Denver, Colorado.  

At age 53, Frank retired from IBM and began his second career as a commercial hot air balloon pilot.  Ballooning took Norma and Frank to places around the country and the world.  Over the years Frank held a number of positions in the Colorado Balloon Club including secretary, vice-president and president. He was a founding board member of the Chatfield Balloonport Association which created a permanent launch field at Chatfield State Park.  He recruited other balloonists and initiated an annual tradition of giving rides to patients at Craig Hospital.  

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Don Piccard passed away on September 14, 2020 at the age of 95.  He was the 
pioneer who invented modern hot air ballooning together with Ed Yost in the 1960s.



 

 Celebration of Honor Fly 2022 

From EC Peterson 

*Pilots and crew of the Celebration of Honor Fly 2022* 

I know some of you have retired from ballooning but if you could please pass on the info new pilots that you have met that would be wonderful. It seems like yesterday the plans for the first event were being put together and now here we are on number fifteen. A lot of propane has gone through the burners, but what a ride it has been. 

The date this year is July 30, 2022. 

The fly spot is on San Miguel Road, off Highway 24, by Sulfur Mountain and the pole barn garage place in South Park as in the past. 

Sunrise is the time. 

This year’s CoHF (we hope) is a reflection of the last with donuts from Lobacks Bakery in Buena Vista; soft drinks from Pepsi, breakfast and lunch supplied by the Celebration of Honor or a sponsor (for which we are always looking). Propane for participating pilots is of course also part of the package. 

ALL pilots and crew are invited to join the fun, be you a member of AAAA, BSOPP, CBC or an independent. Affiliation with an organization is not a necessity to say “thanks” to our troops, and as it has been promoted since the beginning, the Celebration of Honor Fly is without politics or pros and cons of armed conflict. These men and women have served our country, and gratitude is the foundation of the event. Please share the invitation to any pilot or crew who you think would like to come.The more the merrier. 

Volunteers are requested at all levels of the CoHF. The put-up and take-down of equipment will require lots of help. Getting the soldiers checked in and together with pilots is a daunting task which takes time and patience because the arrival of the honorees come as a flood. Personnel to keep an eye on the coffee and donuts would be good. 

As usual, there is a need is for funds to pay for the propane, printing, postage and port-a-potty bills (especially those things starting with “p”). Oh yes, coffee, hot chocolate, and sodas, too. Any readers with connections to groups such as churches, clubs and organizations, or individuals that would be willing help finance what is being offered our troops.

Please contact: 

Jackie Peterson, event organizer/coordinator, at 719/634-5012 or 2ndpete@com or 

 Balloonmeister, Stephen at 719/338-1367 or rmhal@juno.com or           

Skip Howes at 719/330-6266 or skiphowes@cs.com 

So here we go ladies and gentlemen. The plan is on. Please come be part of the Celebration of Honor Fly as a pilot, crew member and/or volunteer. You are the event. The e-mails and phones are open. Pilots and crew, please let us know you are with us. Volunteers, tell us where you want your involvement to be. 

We look forward to hearing from all and thank you for your continued and new participation. 

Please send an e-mail to 2ndpete@comcast.net and let me know you are coming so there will be enough food and soldiers for all.


 

2022 BFA Youth Summer Camp Programs


https://bfa.net/divisions/junior-balloonists


2022 Camps Planned


Basic Sleepover Camps

Southeastern Balloon Camp

Director: Benjamin Drennan <benjamindren@gmail.com>

Vienna, Georgia

June 21-26, 2022

 

Rio Grande Balloon Camp

Director: Neida Bueno <n.c.bueno@comcast.net>

Albuquerque, New Mexico

July 9-14, 2022


Event Camp

DinahSOAR BFA Youth Camp

Director: Kent Barnes <kjbarnes@gmail.com>

Vernal, Utah

August 26-28, 2022



For more information please contact youthprograms@bfa.net

Map Information for North Denver, Erie, Frederick

See the original article in the September 2021 issue of the Hot Air Flyer.

North Denver PZ  KML File

This file includes those properties listed as a prohibited or sensitive zone on both the Erie and Frederick rally maps, and I’ve added a general “yellow zone” over the entirety of Boulder County given some of the issues balloons encounter when landing in BC Open Space.                        

 Also listed on this map are a few spots marked blue, which indicates common launch sites.  Please note that while Parkland Airport in Erie (noted blue on the map) is both balloon friendly and highly amenable to balloon launches, it requires permission and a form to be submitted prior to launching from there, and I’d be happy to help line you up with what you’d need to know for flying at Parkland.  Most of you already know about getting your insurance on file with the town of Frederick if  you choose to launch from Centennial park, but if you don’t, Michael Gianetti is the person to contact about that.

Link:   North Denver PZ file  

Colorado High Voltage Power Lines KMZ File

Jeff Buesing created a map file that includes all of the high voltage powerlines in the entire state of CO that highlights these lines on your hot air map in neon green.  It’s strictly the high voltage lines so it won’t include the smaller lines.  Chris Liberti has been using this for the last 6 weeks and it’s absolutely amazing.  Highly recommend uploading this to your mapping software as well.  Please feel free to pass this along to anyone you know who may be regularly flying the area

Link:   Colorado power lines kmz file


I (Dave Phillips) have tested these two links useing my cell phone that has the Hot Air app installed and they work.




  Club Races are being organized on the Colorado Balloon Club Facebook page.






We encourage you to check out our sponsors!



 
 
Page updated December 10, 2021