Mike KIJAK - United States
Biography
Started ballooning in 1993. Obtained my commercial license in 1997. I was laid off my
“real job” and created Up & Away Ballooning, Inc. in 1999 from scratch. This was/is a commercial ballooning operation providing site seeing tours in the Sonoma County, CA area. We started with two balloons, one that could carry two riders and a six passenger. Added another six person balloon, then an eight passenger and finally a balloon that could carry 14.
In 2010, we swapped one of the six person baskets, to a wheelchair accessible basket, the only one of its kind in the country.
In 2015, I sold the business to Calistoga Balloon Adventures, but the operation remained Up & Away. My wife and I moved to OR, but returned to Sonoma County in 2019.
In 2019, I was hired on at Up & Away Ballooning as the Site Manager and lead pilot.
As of this date, I have 3095 hours in hot air balloons with a perfect safety record. I have flown in all the western U.S. states and New Zealand.
First place, 2022 Great Reno Balloon Race.
Competition History
Year | Event | Country | Location | Ranking | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | The Great Reno Balloon Race 2023 | United States | Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, Reno, NV | 15 | 661 |
2022 | The Great Reno Balloon Race | United States | Reno | 1 | 842 |
2021 | Great Reno Balloon Race 2021 | United States | Reno, Nevada | 10 | 705 |