Tom Jones, a crew member assisting balloon pilot Chad Crabtree, is pictured helping get the balloon inflated for the balloon illume July 3.
Being a part of balloon crew
is rewarding for Climax man
By Bruce Rolfe
While hot air ballon pilot Chad Crabtree is the person who navigates and flies his balloon, Hiedi’s Star, there are many other people that are part of his crew on the ground who play an important role when he is competing at the Field of Flight Air Show and Hot Air Balloon Festival in Battle Creek.
One crew member who has been assisting Crabtree the last few years and has been a part of the balloon community assisting other hot air balloon pilots for over 30 years, is Climax resident Tom Jones.
Jones and other crew members first help Crabtree set up and inflate the balloon before a launch. Once the balloon is ready to fly, the crew members get into a vehicle and immediately drive near the location where the balloon is expected to land.
Because the crew are Crabtree’s eyes on the ground, Jones said there’s a lot that goes into guiding the pilot to a safe place to land.
Using two way radios, Jones said he is in constant communication with Crabtree, offering information he and the other crew members are seeing on the ground.
“The crew in the vehicle should be a little bit ahead of the balloon so they can spot dangers on the ground when the balloon wants to come down, such as power lines, trees, swamps,” said Jones.
The Climax man said the “chase” crew assisting the hot air balloon pilot, will often approach a land owner for permission to land the hot air balloon on their property. The balloon crew in the vehicle will also make sure a potential area to land at has good access to get the balloon packed up and depart. The crew on the ground will also make sure a potential landing spot is not a prohibited zone.
When the flight is complete, the crew assisting the pilot then helps pack the balloon up.
“They make sure I’m flying safe, if I need anything while I’m up in the air. They are my number one go to people. Without them I would not be able to fly the balloon. I’m so grateful and thankful that they are able to come out. They take time off work to come out to help me or they take vacation time. Once everybody gets around hot air ballooning, once they do it, they don’t want to give it up. It’s a passion of your heart and commitment. You look around the hot air balloon and what do you see? You’ve got a bunch of smiles. It puts smiles on people’s faces. It’s very, very pretty and very beautiful,” said Crabtree.
Jones and his wife Barb got started helping balloon pilots in 1992. He said it only took one time being a part of a chase team for the couple to be hooked.
Similar to many balloon pilots who enjoy ballooning with their entire family, Jones and his wife eventually got their children Brenda and Keith involved.
While Tom’s wife Barb is stepping back from being a part of the crew at this year’s Field of Flight event but still helps out at other events, the couple’s son Keith is a part of Crabtree’s crew.
Jones said he has helped 20 different pilots in over 30 years of being involved in the hot air balloon community. He said he enjoys sharing some of his insight with newer pilots, but embraces the opportunity to learn new ways from the hot air balloon pilots.
“The fun is the camaraderie. I always have people ask me, so what’s the big thing about this? It’s not about what you do, it’s who you do it with. That’s where the fun is. It’s just one big family. It’s all about having fun and sharing the same sport. Sharing it with the crowds. The pilots love this,” said Jones.
Besides Chad, Jones, and his son Keith, the rest of the crew consists of Chad’s wife Hiedi, and Megan Avery, of Battle Creek.
Born and raised in Battle Creek, Crabtree said he was exposed to hot air ballooning at a very young age watching his uncles pilot hot air balloons. He started volunteering at the Field of Flight Hot Air Balloon event on the grounds of the airport picking up trash.
Everything he learned from his late uncles and what he learned volunteering at the Field of Flight events intensified his love for ballooning and motivated him to take the next step and become a pilot.
Crabtree, who said the first time he touched the burners on a hot air balloon was when he was seven years old, has been flying hot air balloons for over 30 years.
The Delton man said he enjoys spending time with his family on casual balloon flights as well as participating in competitions.
“I enjoy my family being out here. My family supports me one hundred percent and is behind me flying,” said Crabtree, who said he has flown his balloon all over the world.
Crabtree said in a competition like the Field of Flight Air Show and Hot Air Balloon festival, pilots are given GPS target locations. Hot air balloon pilots navigate their way to the location where a target has been placed on the ground. The pilots then drop bean bags with two to three foot streamers as close to the middle of the target as possible, hoping to claim prize money at the end of the competition.
Living close to Battle Creek, Crabtree said he especially looks forward to participating in the Field of Flight Hot Air Balloon festival.
“When I come back here, this is my home flying area. I enjoy flying here. I enjoy putting smiles on people’s faces and that’s what it’s all about,” said Crabtree.
He said piloting a balloon is fun, but there can be challenges.
“The most challenging part about flying a balloon is making sure that you navigate it properly. Because if you don’t navigate the balloon properly to a target, you’re going to miss it. If you don’t know what the winds are, and if you don’t know your pre-flight preparation, or anything else, then you’re just going to go out on a balloon ride. The most challenging thing is to navigate the winds,” explained Crabtree, who said at 100 feet in the air the wind could be going one direction, however at 110 feet the wind could be going a different direction.
While hot air ballon pilot Chad Crabtree is the person who navigates and flies his balloon, Hiedi’s Star, there are many other people that are part of his crew on the ground who play an important role when he is competing at the Field of Flight Air Show and Hot Air Balloon Festival in Battle Creek.
One crew member who has been assisting Crabtree the last few years and has been a part of the balloon community assisting other hot air balloon pilots for over 30 years, is Climax resident Tom Jones.
Jones and other crew members first help Crabtree set up and inflate the balloon before a launch. Once the balloon is ready to fly, the crew members get into a vehicle and immediately drive near the location where the balloon is expected to land.
Because the crew are Crabtree’s eyes on the ground, Jones said there’s a lot that goes into guiding the pilot to a safe place to land.
Using two way radios, Jones said he is in constant communication with Crabtree, offering information he and the other crew members are seeing on the ground.
“The crew in the vehicle should be a little bit ahead of the balloon so they can spot dangers on the ground when the balloon wants to come down, such as power lines, trees, swamps,” said Jones.
The Climax man said the “chase” crew assisting the hot air balloon pilot, will often approach a land owner for permission to land the hot air balloon on their property. The balloon crew in the vehicle will also make sure a potential area to land at has good access to get the balloon packed up and depart. The crew on the ground will also make sure a potential landing spot is not a prohibited zone.
When the flight is complete, the crew assisting the pilot then helps pack the balloon up.
“They make sure I’m flying safe, if I need anything while I’m up in the air. They are my number one go to people. Without them I would not be able to fly the balloon. I’m so grateful and thankful that they are able to come out. They take time off work to come out to help me or they take vacation time. Once everybody gets around hot air ballooning, once they do it, they don’t want to give it up. It’s a passion of your heart and commitment. You look around the hot air balloon and what do you see? You’ve got a bunch of smiles. It puts smiles on people’s faces. It’s very, very pretty and very beautiful,” said Crabtree.
Jones and his wife Barb got started helping balloon pilots in 1992. He said it only took one time being a part of a chase team for the couple to be hooked.
Similar to many balloon pilots who enjoy ballooning with their entire family, Jones and his wife eventually got their children Brenda and Keith involved.
While Tom’s wife Barb is stepping back from being a part of the crew at this year’s Field of Flight event but still helps out at other events, the couple’s son Keith is a part of Crabtree’s crew.
Jones said he has helped 20 different pilots in over 30 years of being involved in the hot air balloon community. He said he enjoys sharing some of his insight with newer pilots, but embraces the opportunity to learn new ways from the hot air balloon pilots.
“The fun is the camaraderie. I always have people ask me, so what’s the big thing about this? It’s not about what you do, it’s who you do it with. That’s where the fun is. It’s just one big family. It’s all about having fun and sharing the same sport. Sharing it with the crowds. The pilots love this,” said Jones.
Besides Chad, Jones, and his son Keith, the rest of the crew consists of Chad’s wife Hiedi, and Megan Avery, of Battle Creek.
Born and raised in Battle Creek, Crabtree said he was exposed to hot air ballooning at a very young age watching his uncles pilot hot air balloons. He started volunteering at the Field of Flight Hot Air Balloon event on the grounds of the airport picking up trash.
Everything he learned from his late uncles and what he learned volunteering at the Field of Flight events intensified his love for ballooning and motivated him to take the next step and become a pilot.
Crabtree, who said the first time he touched the burners on a hot air balloon was when he was seven years old, has been flying hot air balloons for over 30 years.
The Delton man said he enjoys spending time with his family on casual balloon flights as well as participating in competitions.
“I enjoy my family being out here. My family supports me one hundred percent and is behind me flying,” said Crabtree, who said he has flown his balloon all over the world.
Crabtree said in a competition like the Field of Flight Air Show and Hot Air Balloon festival, pilots are given GPS target locations. Hot air balloon pilots navigate their way to the location where a target has been placed on the ground. The pilots then drop bean bags with two to three foot streamers as close to the middle of the target as possible, hoping to claim prize money at the end of the competition.
Living close to Battle Creek, Crabtree said he especially looks forward to participating in the Field of Flight Hot Air Balloon festival.
“When I come back here, this is my home flying area. I enjoy flying here. I enjoy putting smiles on people’s faces and that’s what it’s all about,” said Crabtree.
He said piloting a balloon is fun, but there can be challenges.
“The most challenging part about flying a balloon is making sure that you navigate it properly. Because if you don’t navigate the balloon properly to a target, you’re going to miss it. If you don’t know what the winds are, and if you don’t know your pre-flight preparation, or anything else, then you’re just going to go out on a balloon ride. The most challenging thing is to navigate the winds,” explained Crabtree, who said at 100 feet in the air the wind could be going one direction, however at 110 feet the wind could be going a different direction.
Balloon pilot Chad Crabtree (in the basket) inflates his balloon before the Balloon Illume July 3 at Battle Creek Executive Airport during the Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon festival event.
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