It’s no easy task to become a licensed balloon pilot.
Just ask Robby Keaveny. It’s been his goal since he was a child.
“I’ve been ballooning since I was a really small kid, and it’s always been a passion of mine,” Keaveny said.
It looks like a fun job but it’s also highly technical.
“It takes quite a bit of studying on the side of actual flight time. You do have to do some groundwork as well about weather patterns,” Keaveny said.
To become a balloon pilot you need at least 10 flight hours with a rate instructor, as well as two solo flights and a single flight with a Federal Aviation Administration examiner.
One way to prepare for becoming a pilot, is to first become part of a balloon crew.
“Most balloon crews will let you hang out with them. You might even get a ride and get some burner time and figure out if you like it or not,” Keaveny said.
Keaveny is hoping to be a licensed pilot by next year, and hopes more people will consider trying it out.
http://www.koat.com/news/flying-in-balloon-fiesta-is-harder-than-you-think/35663178