Services

Private and Commercial Part 141 Balloon Training School

Balloon the Rockies specializes in the fast efficient training of prospective hot air balloon pilots. Students who enroll in the school can usually earn an FAA Hot Air Balloon Certificate within 1 week of their first day of training. With 141 certification, we can administer a “check ride” on site and issue a private certificate in as little as 8 hours of flying time or commercial in 10. Private Certificate training is usually completed within an 8 day period. The Commercial course takes about 10 or 11 days. Unfortunately, the FAA requires completion of the Private course before enrolling in the Commercial course. However, applicants holding a US private certificate in any discipline of aircraft can enroll directly into the Commercial course. Please allow at least 16 days for the completion both the Private and Commercial courses when taken sequentially. Both courses include the use of our double burner balloons, training, study material, crew and FAA Checkride. It is best if the student passes the necessary FAA written test(s) before starting the course. We can offer assistance with this as well. The best way to do this on your own is to go to prepware.com or webexams.com. You can study the same questions and material that will be on the test(s) and take practice tests to evaluate if you are ready to take the FAA exam. Prepware.com gives explanations for answer choices whereas webexams.com does not. However, Prepware has a cost of $50 per module. The training season in Park City generally goes from June through October (July through October being optimum). The winter season in St George starts in January and goes through mid February. If your schedule only allows you time in the off season, please call to discuss the possibilities. This is by no means a “crash course” or short cut to a license. It is an intense FAA Approved 141 School teaching method that develops a student’s skills much more rapidly because of consistent daily attention to fundamentals and “building ” on them. Very little time is lost re-learning basic skills as the student moves into more advanced maneuvers. Most pilots will attest to actual years of waiting before they received their certificate because scheduling, weather, ground school, and relearning delays. Much of what is learned at the school is a philosophy with goals as well as the flying skills needed to pass the test. This philosophy will assist in improving the new pilot’s skill level on every future flight and help simplify operational judgments needed as pilot in command. All of the curriculums have been updated to include the FAA�s Scenario Based training. This method integrates real world decision making rather than simply maneuver repitition. Come to beautiful Park City, or St George, Utah and take advantage of our wonderful Rocky Mountain weather. Because of our weather is so Balloon friendly we have never sent anyone home without acquiring the needed hours for the checkride. We have trained students from all over the world that are now flying passengers in Turkey, Israel, Mexico, Taiwan, Africa, Canada and of course the US. Learn from Mike Bauwens, with over 6,000 hours who has flown in many parts of the world in what seems like every condition imaginable. You can specialize in professional ride operations, competition flying, mountain flying, or just safe quality sport flying. We train in small, high performance, double burner, Aerostar and Kubicek Balloons. When you are finished, you will be able to competently fly any brand of balloon system on the market today. Balloon the Rockies also operates a full service balloon repair facility on site. The facility offers “hands on” experience in understanding balloon maintenance and what is required. We also offer Initial maintenance training courses for those wanting to enter the balloon maintenance and repair profession. We hope we can assist you in your “urge” to get off the ground in a balloon. Drop us an email or call for pricing and scheduling.

Sincerely,

Mike Bauwens, Chief Instructor