Mike is a second-generation LTA pilot. Both of his parents were LTA pilots, and he has been involved in hot air ballooning for the better part of 35 years. He obtained his Commercial certificate in 2000 and has significant experience instructing new pilots as well as flying passengers for hire. He is the owner of Renegade Balloons and has safely flown over 300 paid passengers in the last three years. Mike previously served as president of the GAA in St. Louis and is a recipient of the BFA Directors Award. His favorite ballooning adventures include flights over the Alps in Austria, from Keiner Plaza in St. Louis, and floating down the Rio Grande during Fiesta in Albuquerque.