hotairballoonist

This is a very sad blog. As many of you know I suffered a massive stroke at the end of February 2020. I spend most of march in the hospital starting off with 6 days in a coma. I have now come out of the hospital Weak, Dizzy, Light Headed and unable to fly. I am now on medication for high blood sugar. (Diabetes). I am on Medication for nerve pain, I am on medication for High Blood pressure and a few others that I am unaware what they do but my wife puts them in my pill box and I take them. I am on the phone (Virtual visit) with my doctor about every other week. Only 1 in 4 survive the stroke I had and about 60% of those who do survive have permanent disabilities. I do realize how incredibly fortunate I am just to be here. My family (including the balloon world) has been an inspiration to me and kept my drive to continue alive. In reality, I have managed to come thru reasonably unscathed. I still have (after being home two months) issues with my strength and equilibrium. I get very dizzy or lightheaded (I feel like I am on a boat in the ocean) but my mental acuities and physical aptitude are unencumbered. I have managed to loose enough weight that my medication for High Blood pressure has been reduced once already. I continue to work each day on the internet, projects in the shop and other house hold chores to keep me busy and build my strength. I am slowly coming to grip with the realization that I will never fly commercially again. After nearly 7,000 flights and who knows how many tens of thousands of passengers I will never again be able to share my joy with those who have never experienced the amazing bliss of a Hot Air Balloon flight. I started my balloon adventure at the age of 13 when my parents took me to see the National Balloon Championships in Indianola Iowa. I went home and began to build model hot air balloons out of tissue paper and cellophane tape. At first they were very crude and I burned up a few before I perfected my aircraft. Eventually I created a tissue paper balloon with its own burner fed by 50 feet of plastic hose. The burner was made out of a syringe from a hospital and tin foil. My "Burner" was clipped in the mouth of the balloon where I would turn the fire, up and down, from the ground with a propane regulator stolen from my fathers Coleman camp stove. One of my favorite tissue paper balloons was the balloon (on the right) I built for my high school. It was Blue and White (School colors) and about 9 feet tall. In the photo I am demonstrating it for my old Jr. High school in the Gym. Try doing that now a days. I would fly that balloon in the end zone at school football games. I would continue to fly that balloon even after I had my pilots certificate and my own real hot air balloon. I started my training to become a Hot Air Balloon Pilot in the fall of 1975. At that time I was 15 years old. I completed my training and solo flew a balloon while I was 16 years old. At 17 years old ( With my parents help) I was able to purchase the balloon I had trained in and began my ballooning adventures. I finished in the top 10 in the Iowa State Championships in 1977. That same year I flew as a non-comp pilot in the National Balloon Championships in Indianola Iowa. The same place, where just a few short years before I was a wide eyed 13 year old watching over a snow fence at balloons launching and floating directly over my head from the Simpson Collage campus. Over the years I have had the privilege to meet and fly with many of the balloon world's "Hall of Famers". I was able to fly with, (what today are considered) the legends of the sport. As Capt Phogg would say, "I learned to fly balloons back in the day's when ballooning was dangerous and sex was safe" (1) I am sadly coming to the horrible realization that my commercial flying days are over. Even now as I recover I am starting to realize that in my condition just flying a balloon could be dangerous for me even if I were alone. If you are reading this and have been one of my past passengers you will undoubtedly realize the passion I had for balloon flying and the love I had for the intricacy of flight and how to "ride the wind". There is simply nothing in life I loved better than the artistry of flying a balloon. It did not matter to me if I were flying passengers or training students or even flying competition I loved to fly. I also loved passing along the knowledge of the art form. I have an old testimonial page from our original website years ago that has HUNDREDS of guest book entries. If you read them you will notice that most of them talk about my passion for flying. As one of my passengers said, "Your passion is hard to hide and very infectious". Even my own father would comment on how I would amaze him with my desire to fly, even after all of these years. So the idea that I can no longer fly is more than heartbreaking. At this time there are things I still want to do in Ballooning. I want to win the National Classic! I want to take my son for his first flight! I want to finish training my last two students! I want to fly more passengers and share the AWE, that is balloon flight! There is so much more I want to do but I simply can not. There is too much risk for me and for anyone I take along. Never told anyone this before. I was at the National Balloon Championships in Battle Creek Michigan with my father. We were on the last day of competition and the flight weather was marginal at best. I had borrowed a balloon from Dave Sullivan (2). It was a 90K balloon and we were sent out on a GO for flight. My father made the decision that he would not fly because of the wind. The conditions were well beyond what we would take passengers flying in, but, this is the National Championships and we are flying with the best of the best. I was in go mode until my father came up to me and said " I am not going to fly but I will ride with you if you want. In these conditions you will need the weight". The balloon, I had borrowed was large enough to carry a pilot and three adults. In windy conditions and without the proper weight load you are more or less flying a garbage bag in a hurricane. The winds will toss you around like a rag doll since you do not have the proper load onboard. So technically my father was correct. I would need the extra weight on board to help with the performance of the balloon. BUT.... Father was well into his 70's at this point. There was a good chance that we would be beaten up good on landing, even a good landing at those speeds. When you land a balloon, you land at what ever the speed of the wind is. In a balloon that is under loaded you will never get the balloon stopped. You simply do not have the weight to stop the balloon as the fabric catches the wind and acts like a sail. I told my father "I am going to stay on the ground too". I simply could not take the chance of hurting my father at that age. A broken bone in your seventies may not heal for years. I wanted to fly in the competition but did not want to do it at the risk of my fathers health. I shed several tears on the way back. I hope some day to become half the man my father is. I am now going thru decades of balloon equipment trying to evaluate what is trash and what could be worth something to someone. I have so much stuff. Radios, Tanks, GPS, Go-Pro cameras, compass's, Baskets, Fans, Vans, Trailers and more. Trying to sort thru all the stuff is a daunting task. Slowly we are listing the items here on this site. Hopefully the items will find a new loving home and continue the task of creating amazing memories for those who fly. At this point all I can do is reminisce about the past 45+ years and the wonderful people I have met and the amazing things I have been able to do while involved in ballooning. I may need to sit down and tell a few stories over the next few years. Many fun stories and some scary ones as well. Most of all I need YOU! I need you to continue to use the HotAirBalloonist.com site. Become a member and help me spread the wisdom, knowledge, advice and more to the next generation of balloonists. I no longer have the ability to earn my living from balloon flying. It is my hope that I can earn a living with my abilities on the web and mostly this site. Please tell your friends about this site. Go get a membership right now and start a club. Ask me if you need something built. What features do you want to see on the site? I have been involved in every aspect of the balloon world. From repairs to competition and Cold Air balloons to entire envelope rebuilds. I have flown in many locations and built 100's of inflatables. I have built custom inflatables, from standard style inflatables to Lemon aid cups to propane tanks to Tony the Tiger head to an airbag on a billboard and even a 68ft tall Christmas tree. I have a ton of knowledge and experience and I feel a strong desire to pass this along to as many as care to listen. This website is my vehicle and you are the driver. Without paid members I can not continue to support this site. Thank you to everyone whom have touched me and my family. The balloon world is such a fascinating and fantastic place to be a part of. Jeff A Thompson (1) Thank you Capt. Phogg for your quip's that I still use. AKA Dennis PHloden He will understand. (2) Dave Sullivan is a dear friend and mentor. I was privileged to fly with him in the Harley Davidson Balloon at the National Balloon Classic in the Key Grab event. Dave actually got the ring off the top of the pole in front of more than 10,000 screaming fans!

Yes I have several of the 20 Gal lay down tanks. I also have a few 10 Gal upright inflation tanks.

H with Trans Back View File Just a plain H But we know what it means. Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 05/29/2020 Category Artwork  

HonFire View File HonFire Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 05/29/2020 Category Artwork  

HABFire View File This is a logo for use with a Square style location. Has transparent back. Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 05/29/2020 Category Artwork  

FOR SALE 6 Motorola SP50 portable radios. Three with belt clips for crew use and 3 with remote microphone for Pilot use. Each has 10 channels. Each Radio has 4 broadcast and receive channels and 6 per-programed weather channels for NOAA. No matter were you go in the US you will be able to find an FM weather broadcast. Asking $450 for the 6 radios. Will include the 3 Remote microphone speakers and a 6 bank charging unit. Radios all have matching frequency programs. Please no phone calls. Text me at 407-421-9322 or email at Info@ThompsonAire.com

View File Twitter Promote So you have posted a topic and want to promote your topic even further. We now allow users to promote their topic on our twitter page. Watch this video to see how it works. If you are a twitter follower please follow us at #HABalloonist on Twitter. Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 05/26/2020 Category Video Tutorials  

One is a 6 X 10 and the other is a low profile 6 X 10 and built like a tank. Photos to come.

Asking $950.00 (SOLD) I have used this fan for nearly 10 years. Never a glitch. Always starts on first pull. Oil changed yearly. 9HP with 30 inch prop. This is an air pushing monster. 6 blade 30 inch prop. You can fill your balloon with the fan on idle! I am in the central Florida (Disney World) area. Please no phone calls. (recovering from a stroke) Text me at 407-421-9322 or email at Info@ThompsonAire.com Thank you.

2006 Ford E350 XLT Balloon van. (SOLD) 130K miles. New Tires, Helium tank. Hydraulic lift gate (1000 LB) FM radio Motorola CM300. Currently has 4 FM channels and 6 weather channels. Brakes done last year. Dark Tinted windows. Electric Windows and Door Locks Cruse Control Steering wheel radio controls Has some rear quarter panel rust. Ice Cold A/C Rear Seat has been removed and Envelope and Inflation Fan are stored in that space. Van will seat 11 people This vehicle is extremely mechanically sound. Drives straight as an arrow and no shimmy or shake. Would not hesitate for a second to drive cross country and back. This van sat in the driveway for 4 months and started first time. For sale $7,000.00. Will drive up to 200 miles from Central Florida to deliver You may email me or text me questions. Please no phone calls. You may ask why I am selling this van and that is a fair question. On February 25th I suffered a stroke. I was in intensive care on life support for 6 days. I was not let out of the hospital till nearly the end of March. I have spent the last two months trying to recover. At this time it is highly likely that I will never get to fly commercially again. I am posting this as of May 28th and I have still not been cleared by my doctor to drive. The Blue Book value for this van is $6,500.00 I am asking $7,000.00. This includes the $3,000.00 lift gate on the back of the van that is not considered in the Blue Book Value. Text me at 407-421-9322. Email me at CaptJeff@ThompsonAire.com I will also be listing Inflation Fans, Trailers and maybe another van like this one. We have started to remove the lettering. Van is ready for pickup. Lettering is all off. Van is ready to go!

Cameron Double T basket Curtains View File This is for a Cameron DT CB3004-G6E Double T basket with Fuel Lines going thru the curtains on two sides. Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 05/21/2020 Category Basket Curtains  

Ultra Magic Double T curtains View File These are the cut sheets for an Ultra Magic DT-C-11 Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 05/21/2020 Category Basket Curtains

Curtians for Cameron Bravo Single T View File These are the plans for the Cameron single T BRAVO 140-180 Single ‘T’ 8-10 2 55×30 31×61 66x90x52 422 Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 05/21/2020 Category Basket Curtains  

Building Basket Curtains View File This is a power point presentation on the construction of basket curtains. We realize that there are many ways you can create basket curtains. This is just a quick power point we made up to show the process we went thru. So far the comments from the field (No real pun intended) are good. The curtains were well received by pilots, passengers and the crew. If you wish for us to create curtains for your basket please send us a note at Info@HotAirBalloonist.com Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 05/21/2020 Category Basket Curtains  

Basket Measure Sheet View File This Measure Sheet is for measuring a double T basket to construct Clear Vinyl Curtains. Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 05/21/2020 Category Basket Curtains  

We have washable, reusable, face masks available in the store on HotAirBalloonist.com Check them out.

View File Equipment For SALE Post your equipment on HAB! This video will explain how to list your equipment for sale on the HAB site! NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! Post your equipment with photos, full description, Contact information, Price, Location and MORE! This is the easiest way to advertise your equipment to balloonists all over! REMEMBER to LIST Your location, Your contact information, Phone, Email, Price, Photos, (up to 20MB) Full description. Year, Hrs, Annual and any other pertinent information Remember if you are a member, of the site you will want to click the "FOLLOW" button so the HAB system will notify you via email if someone posts a reply to your advertisement. Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 05/14/2020 Category Video Tutorials