Tag: UltraMagic

Pilot Spotlight: Kerry Speicher and HiLight Bring a Family Love of Ballooning to Plano

For Kerry Speicher of Longview, Texas, hot air ballooning began not in the basket, but on the ground with his family.

Years before he became a commercial balloon pilot, Speicher and his wife, Stephanie, began taking their two young daughters to the Great Texas Balloon Race. Starting around 2003, Stephanie would sometimes load the girls into the car while they were still in their pajamas to go searching for balloons.

The girls loved chasing balloons, collecting pilot trading cards and helping crews on the field. What started as a family outing eventually became a family passion.

This September, Speicher will bring that passion, and his bright yellow-and-green racing balloon HiLight, to the H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival.

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PILOT STEVE JONES BALLOONING FOR 43 YEARS AROUND THE WORLD

You could say it was love at first flight. Steve Jones’ father attended the US National Balloon Championships in Indianola, Iowa, in 1976, working on a balloon crew and then riding in the balloon. He called Steve on his way home, raving about the experience and trying to convince Steve to partner with him and buy a balloon. Steve was certain that his dad had lost his mind; nevertheless, he consented and soon thereafter he was hooked on the experience. He earned his pilot’s license, a requirement for balloon piloting, and became a member of the ballooning community, enjoying the camaraderie and the competitions.

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