Welcome to an adventure above all others. Join us in North America’s single-largest hot air balloon, floating silently over the majestic Sonoran Desert for the time of your life! We have been rated by Fodor’s Travel as one of the top 10 hot air balloon rides in the US! Trip Advisor has given us their Certificate of Excellence and Groupon their elusive “Best of Groupon”. Come find out why for yourself, whether you’re looking for a gift certificate for that special someone or celebrating a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary, we can make it a lifetime memory!
Life’s experiences have taught Randy Long many things. Starting his career as a travel agent, Long has traveled the world over and continues to do so, recently returning from a Mediterranean cruise to Europe and preparing for a journey to Costa Rica.
All avid certified scuba divers, they frequently make trips to popular dive destinations around the world, most recently in Bermuda. Not long ago, the Long’s were seen dog-sledding on a glacier in Alaska!
Randy’s ballooning career started in Illinois in 1986. At a meeting of the Downtown Springfield Rotary Club, Randy met Harold Lovelace who was giving a presentation to the club’s members about the joys of ballooning. Randy was hooked and made a deal on the spot with Lovelace to purchase his balloon and immediately began flight training. Later that year he received his FAA license and was off to Albuquerque to fly in the world’s largest balloon gathering. Returning home from Albuquerque Randy began offering rides while continuing to operate his busy travel agency. In 1991 Randy sold the travel agency and moved to Arizona to open a full-time hot air balloon ride business. Randy is now in his 31st year as a FAA licensed commercial balloon pilot. He has logged over 4000 flights as pilot-in-command and personally flown over 50,000 delighted passengers. He has flown in many parts of the world including England and France. He was the pilot of choice for Shakira while on tour in Arizona as well as J.W. Marriott and family for his 80th birthday. When the Super Bowl was held in Tempe, Long flew Dick Ebersole, President of NBC Sports and his wife, actress Susan Saint James.
In October, 2008 Long became the first FAA certified flight instructor for powered parachutes in the State of Arizona.
His true love is aviation and he can be found flying the skies of Phoenix and surrounds in a hot-air balloon…just as he likes it!
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