We just sent out our invitations to pilots to attend this year's Gila Valley Balloon Extravaganza held over New Year's. Pilots will be traveling from Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, California, Texas and possibly other areas. Most pilots love to tell the story of their balloon or how they got into ballooning, so we encourage visitors to welcome our pilots and learn more about them. Every balloon has a name and a story. To see the pilots who attended last year, simply select 2024/2025 from the drop down below.

Pilot:

Greg and his wife Susan are both commercial hot air balloon pilots who enjoy flying side-by-side as a husband and wife team. Greg, also a fixed-wing pilot, became a hot air balloon pilot in 2016 to help fulfill a dream of his wife's.  Though not entirely thrilled about ballooning at first, it didn't take long for Greg to become passionate about the sport.  Greg now loves pleasing the crowds at rallies and flies on the Dawn Patrol team in the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, in the Great Reno Balloon Race, and in Boise, Idaho.  The couple opened AZ Air Ventures as a small ride company so they could share the joy of ballooning with people in the Gila Valley.  Four years ago they expanded their efforts by starting the Gila Valley New Year's Balloon Extravaganza, a non-profit organization with the goal of bringing tourism to the Gila Valley and offering a family-friendly way to celebrate New Year's. 

Balloon: Colors of the southwest adorn the top and bottom thirds of the envelope including yellow, red, orange, purple, and light and dark blues. These vibrant colors frame a bright yellow equator where eight silhouetted flying and swimming ducks rest on light blue panels on every other gore.

Pilot:

Susan and her husband Greg are both commercial hot air balloon pilots who enjoy flying side-by-side as a husband and wife team. Susan started crewing for hot air balloons in 2007 even driving to Albuquerque every month just to crew.  It took nine years for Greg to realize that Susan, a breast and ovarian cancer survivor, deserved to live her dream and get involved.  In 2016 the couple bought a balloon and Greg, already a fixed-wing pilot, became a commercial hot air balloon pilot “to make his wife happy”.  Eager to fully embrace the sport, the couple opened AZ Air Ventures and by January of 2019, Susan became a private hot air balloon pilot then earned her commercial license in June of 2019. The Lindsey's love sharing the joy of ballooning as they travel throughout the west attending events, many in small communities just like Safford.  Four years ago they started the Gila Valley New Year’s Balloon Extravaganza, a non-profit organization with the goal of bringing tourism to the Gila Valley and offering a family-friendly way to celebrate New Year’s. 

Balloon: Colors of the southwest adorn the top and bottom thirds of the envelope including yellow, red, orange, purple, and light and dark blues. These vibrant colors frame a bright yellow equator where eight silhouetted flying and swimming ducks rest on light blue panels on every other gore.