Biography

I grew up in Northern Kentucky and got my fixed wing private pilots license my Senior Year in High School from Sporty’s in Batavia Ohio. I attended the University of North Dakota where I got a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics. I also earned my fixed wing Commercial, Instrument, Multi engine ratings, and my CFI, CFII and MEI. in 2011, after 10 years and 9000 hours at the airlines I left to work for a Part 142 training provider in St Louis Missouri.  In 2013 I took my first balloon flight and began crewing in the St Louis area. In 2016 my company moved me to Columbus Ohio where I joined the Central Ohio Balloon Club and bought my first Balloon “Trainer One”. In 2021, I added my Commercial LTA rating. In 2022 my balloon “Trainer One” failed its annual and I bought my current balloon “Bourbon Flight”. We attended four balloon festivals in 2022. This year I was an instructor at the BFA Southeastern balloon camp and we plan to attend six balloon festivals in 2023.