About your host: Jeff A Thompson has flown competition for nearly 5 decades. Starting at a young age, placing 3rd at the National Championships and winning the regional championships at age 18 in 1978. This would rank him as the #5 pilot in the country and earn him a place on the United States World Team along with pilots such as Sid Cutter and Bruce Comstock & David Schaefer. Three decades later he would still be winning events like the Carolina Balloon Fest in 2008 and become a 6 time Florida state champion. Even more than three decades later he would still rank as the #10 pilot in the United States. His skill and techniques have made him a constant top performer in balloon competition. "Perfection is not our goal, Perfection is our standard"