Jim Thompson

Guess who just got his pilot license Does this help? The above are two pictures of our grandson Tyler Thompson, serving as our crew when he was three years old. He recently earned his lighter than air private pilot’s license. This makes him a third generation Thompson in ballooning. Of course, son Jeff obtained his license in 1975 when he was 16 years old and was the first Thompson pilot in the family. I received my license about 3 years later in 1979. Tyler follows in good footsteps. Son Jon is also a pilot and his son Austin has started his flight instructions. At the annual flight over Des Moines to promote the National Balloon Classic, I flew with Jeff as a co-pilot and Austin took a training flight with Jon. There are few families in the sport that share the three generation accomplishment. Tyler with his temporary certificate Families with ties to Iowa are doing well. In a previous article about a 2012 flight from the Stratosphere Bowl in the Black Hills of South Dakota I mentioned Anne Christensen. During that flight Kay West was giving Anne a mountain flight lesson. It was indicated that she had soloed and would be getting her license soon. That was accomplished late in 2013. Both of Anne’s parents are balloon pilots and her grandfather is Dennis Winegarden, a long time balloonist from North Liberty, Iowa. Another teenager from Iowa who, I am certain, will get her license is Cory Clemons. She has attended two Balloon Federation of America junior balloonist camps at Dubuque and has just started her training. Cory’s father Benji and Grandfather Bill are longtime pilots. Jake Rickie is another young balloonist who will be a third generation pilot. His dad Tom is a pilot and his grandfather John Johnson from Mason City is one of Iowa’s pioneers in the sport. Background - Jon and Austin Thompson in Flying Big Top Foreground – Jim and Jeff Thompson in Shazam III Tyler won a friendly competition with his cousin, Austin, to see who would be the first to obtain their license. Austin (15) won’t be far behind. He demonstrated his competency during the flight over Des Moines in July to promote the National Balloon Classic. He flew the entire flight from launch to landing including a near splash and dash in the Raccoon River with a landing at Roosevelt High School where his dad went to school. I was trying for the same landing site but didn’t make it and landed across the street in the back lawn of a synagogue.