Wild Rogue Balloon Festival Pilots
WWJD
Pilot: Bill Woodhead
Grants Pass, OR
Bill is a local Real Estate Broker and the Balloonmeister for the Wild Rogue Balloon Festival with over 28 years of flying experience. He has made several memorable flights, including a 137 mile flight from Grants Pass to Agate Lake to Butte Falls to Prospect to Crater Lake, eventually landing between Hwy 97 and Hwy 138 in Central Oregon. He has also flown all over North America, and in exotic parts of the world including Africa. His latest journey took him to Israel, where he flew the “Arky” balloon. He currently flies WWJD, a 90,000 c.f. Lindstrand balloon.
Wind Dixie
Pilot: Terri & Larry Ratkoviak
Etna, California
Terri took her first flight at a rally in Scott Valley, California in 1993. Becoming enthralled, she followed the balloon circuit in 1993 and 1994, crewing in Arizona, Nevada, and California, getting burner time whenever possible. In 1994 she purchased her first balloon, Scarlett Ribbons and received her pilot certificate in 1995. Her husband, and fellow pilot, Larry met in 1995 at Prosser Reservoir and married in 1997. Ballooning has been a way of life for their family, which now includes their 5 year old son Riley. Riley took his first balloon ride with Terri at 5 months of age. They now fly Wind Dixie, an Aerostar RX-7. Terri and Larry hope you enjoy ballooning as much as they do.
Padre Del Sol
Pilot: Cheryl Isaacs
Cheryl has been involved with ballooning for about 12 years and has been a pilot for 8 years. She is currently past owner of two balloons. She began as a crew person for a corporate balloon company and finally decided that it was time to learn to fly herself. Together with a very good friend she went through the training and became a private pilot in 2000 and a commercial pilot in 2001. She really enjoys flying and still crews for others as well when needed. Every flight is unique and exciting and she hopes to continue to fly for quite some time.
Sunrise Surprise
Pilot: Russ Reichert
Grants Pass, Oregon
Russ introduced Grants Pass to hot air ballooning in 1997 with the First Annual Wild Rogue Balloon Festival. He has had a passion for ballooning for many years, crewing and attending ballooning events whenever possible.
Skyscraper
Pilot: Dwayne Osborne
Phoenix, AZ
Dwayne is a native Oregonian from Roseburg who has been flying balloons since his first balloon ride in 1982. Each flight still excites him as much as his first. He currently flyies Skyscraper, a Cameron Concept 100. He enjoys participating in our Wild Rogue Balloon Festival, and he says his most interesting flights occur when he flies in Oregon, although his crew prefers cactus and level land to hillside and blackberry patches!
Midlife Crisis
Pilot: Robert Raper
Bend, Oregon
Bob began ballooning in the late 70’s and was generally an observer until the early 90’s when he had an opportunity to crew and ride. In 1995 he purchased Midlife Crisis, an Aerostar 90K Rally and received his pilot’s license in 1996. His early years of flying were primarily in Wyoming where he enjoyed prairie and desert flight, being challenged to find grass to land on. Since moving to Oregon, his greater challenge is finding a landing site without trees! He has attended balloon events in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, California and, of course, Oregon.
RE/MAX
Pilot: Darren Kling
Welches, OR
Darren went on his first balloon flight 20 years ago and received his commercial license in 1993. He has owned and operated his own commercial balloon business since that time, flying commercial passengers and balloons for corporate advertising as well as “adventure flights”. He is currently based out of the Portland area and flies the RE/MAX balloon, 1 56k Aerostar throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Diamond Rogue
Pilot: Larry Sprague
Central Point, Oregon
Larry is co-owner of the Diamond Rogue balloon, a 90K Areostar. Larry first got interested in ballooning while working as a propane deliveryman for Cal-Gas in Reno, Nevada. He refueled the balloons at the Great Reno Balloon Race in 1985 and 1986. He then advanced to crewing during the rally for balloons sponsored by IGT. He began crewing in the Rogue Valley in 1995 and started getting some burner time. He earned his commercial pilots license in 1997. Larry has flown in various rallies including the Wild Rogue Balloon Festival, Rogue Valley Balloon Rally, Boise River Festival, Albany Great Balloon Escape, and the Siskiyou Rally.
Elixir II
Pilot: Bob Schaible
Tracy, California
Bob's a commercial balloon pilot and has been flying hot air balloons since 1979. He owns and operates Professor Muldoon’s Hot Air Balloon Company and has flown in events all over the United States and Canada. He flyies his 90K Firefly, Elixir II for pleasure. He is also the founder of the Merritt Ministry, which owns and flies the special shaped balloons "Arky" and "Jesus."