Pilot
Experience
CHIEF PILOT - TROY BRADLEY
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 Troy Bradley's passion for ballooning began in 1976
when his grandparents purchased their first hot air
balloon in Denver, Colorado.
Troy, now 40, has logged nearly 4,000 hours piloting all types of balloons. He
soloed when he was 14 years old, going on to earn his private license at 16,
commercial at 18, and gas rating at 21.
Through the years, Troy has flown for several commercial accounts, including Labatt's Beer, Sears, Swatch Watch, Maxwell House, PSA Airlines, United New Mexico Bank, Breyer's Ice Cream, Comet Cleaners, RE/MAX, and Fox Photo.
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 Troy has participated in balloon events throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. A three time New Mexico State Hot Air Balloon Champion , he has been an U.S. representative in two North American Championships, seven Coupe de Aeronautique Gordon Bennetts, and the World Gas Balloon Championships. In 1995, Troy, Mark Sullivan, and Sid Cutter captured the title of the first U.S. National Hot Air Team Champions. |
Not satisfied with simply flying balloons, Troy has also constructed two gas balloons and was one of the first to fly with anhydrous ammonia gas. One of these balloons, one-tenth the size of the average hot air balloon, allowed Troy to set 21 records of distance, duration, and altitude.
 Along with Richard Abruzzo, Troy set 24 world records for duration, distance, and altitude including the absolute world duration record for manned balloon flight (144 hours 23 minutes). Troy's records were set during the Chrysler Transatlantic Challenge, which was the first ever balloon race across an ocean. Troy and Richard also made history as the first to fly a balloon from North America to Africa (3,318 miles).
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 Most
recently, Troy set three more distance world records
by flying 1,225 miles in a 14,000 cubic foot balloon.
With these records, Troy has at some point held
46 world records. Click here
to see a complete list of Troy's awards and honors. The latest record
flight broke the oldest standing record in aviation.
This winter, Troy is setting out to break another distance
record in a balloon similar to the one you will fly
in.
Troy's desire to share the sport and help it grow is evident in the countless numbers of students he has trained, public service events in which he has participated, and the time he commits to volunteerism for the sport. Troy has shared his sport with nearly 8,000 passengers flown safely.
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PILOT - WHIT LANDVATER
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 Whit
Landvater has been flying balloons of all shapes and
sizes for over 30 years. He has flown balloons all
over the United States as well as in Canada, Belgium,
Switzerland, Holland and Germany representing Breyer's
Ice Cream, Maxwell House coffee, Swatch Watch, Fox
Photo, Pepsi, Sears, Coca Cola, Labatts, Swissair and
others. He has flown thousands of passengers through
the years without incident in the Albuquerque and Lake
Tahoe areas.
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Elizabeth (Beth) Wright-Smith - Pilot
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 Beth
has been involved
in ballooning since the 1960’s;
balloon pilot for over 30 years and has accumulated
3000+ hours total time in balloons as a sport pilot,
competition pilot and commercial/corporate pilot. She
became a full-time commercial pilot in mid
1980’s and has flown almost every make/model
of balloon, including large ride balloons and special
shape balloons, and is gas balloon rated.
She has served 2+
terms on the Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association
board; currently serving as VP. She's also served two
terms on the Balloon Federation of America board, the
Board of Trustees for the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque
International Balloon Museum.
Beth has been giving pilot training since 1985 and
is currently the Chief
Flight and Ground Instructor for Airborne
Heat, one of only five FAA
approved Part 141 pilot training schools in the US
with over 200 students trained.
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SKYSPAN ADVENTURES
5600 McLeod NE, Suite H, Albuquerque, NM 87109
Toll Free: 1-877-SKYSPAN Local: 505-250-2300 Fax: 505-292-7248
info@skyspanadventures.com
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