Sean
Pilot & Guest Relations
Sean leads guest hospitality and landowner relations. A certified commercial pilot who's lived in Northern California for 20+ years, his energy shines through in everything he does.
About Us
We love what we do.
Wine country's premier hot air ballooning experience — a fun, reputable, family-owned team dedicated to showing you the very best of Sonoma County.
With decades of combined experience in hot air ballooning, outdoor recreation, customer service and hospitality, our pilots, crew and staff are here to give you an epic adventure you won't soon forget.
We're a diverse group, family owned and operated — including a female owner — living and working across Sonoma County.
Meet the Team
Pilots, crew & the people behind the magic
Mike
Pilot
A 30+ year veteran with an impeccable safety record, Mike once ran a Santa Rosa balloon business for 15 years. In 2022 he took first place at the Great Reno Balloon Race and now helps train new pilots.
Jeff
Pilot
From a family rooted in flying, Jeff is an FAA-certified balloon and airplane pilot who formerly served in the U.S. Coast Guard. He's flown coast to coast and internationally, but Sonoma County has always been home.
David Dunrud
Pilot
David is from Geyserville, CA and has been flying for over 20 years. He's part of our operations team and flies all over the country.
Ignacio “Nacho”
Pilot & Balloon Repair
A certified balloon repairman, Nacho runs inspections and repairs when he isn't piloting or crewing. In the industry since 2012, he's flown across Wine Country, Yolo County, Reno and Carson Valley.
Luis
Pilot & Operations Manager
Luis oversees our reservation team and field operations and has been ballooning since 2012. A Sonoma State business graduate, his attention to detail keeps everything running smoothly.
Mateo
Pilot
Mateo joined the ballooning community at 17 as crew and was hooked. Within four years he earned his license and bought his first balloon; he's now an FAA-certified commercial pilot.
Betty
Chief Information Officer
A talented operations leader with tremendous vision and talent, Betty thrives on creating an environment of beauty and success for our team and our guests.
Becky
HR Director
A Doctor of Nursing Practice and board-certified nurse practitioner, Becky brings laser focus to HR — keeping our team current on operations, safety and regulations.
Lisa
Marketing Director
Lisa has always worked in industries built on excitement and community goodwill. Our “facilitator of fun,” she fuels an energetic culture that guests feel on every flight.
Aaron
Pilot in Training
Aaron is learning the ropes from his Santa Rosa Ballooning family. You may catch him greeting guests, hanging with the chase crew or helping out post-flight.
Safety First, Always
A culture of safety, not just a checklist
With decades of experience, we demand safety first — it's a culture, not an act. Every pilot holds an FAA-certified Lighter-Than-Air commercial license and undergoes routine physicals. If our pilots don't deem the conditions safe, we simply don't fly.
Your morning is led by experienced professionals who know these skies intimately and put your wellbeing above all else.
Read Our FAQ
Come fly with us.
Join our family for a sunrise you'll be talking about for years. We can't wait to show you Sonoma County from above.
Book Your Flight