THEBALLOONATICS.com
The BALLOONATICS
Join Craig Elliott as he shares hilarious tales of adventure, mishaps, and high-flying shenanigans from his forty-two years as a hot air balloon pilot.
After graduating high school in 1976, Craig Elliott accepted a friend's invitation to join a local hot air balloon crew. That moment changed his life forever.
"I was sweating bullets by the time we lifted off, feeling a little faint, but that subsided, and almost instantly I felt exhilarated and enthralled. Everything below began getting smaller and smaller till it looked like one of those model cities with the miniature train set running through it. ... This is awesome!"
Elliott was hooked-and would go on to spend the next forty-two years soaring across the skies of the United States as a proud "balloonatic."
From working alongside World Hot Air Balloon Champion Capt. Phogg to narrowly avoiding collisions with observatory towers, The Balloonatics is filled with the breathtaking highs and turbulent lows that only a life in the clouds can bring.
With warmth, humor, and a touch of mischief, Craig Elliott invites you into the basket to experience the adventures, mishaps, and unforgettable characters that marked his long career as a hot air balloon pilot.


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Capt. Sunshine Circa 1985
Craig Elliott—known in the skies as “Capt. Sunshine”—is a professional hot air balloon pilot who spent over four decades bringing joy to more than 14,000 passengers (plus one dog and a Big Boy statue). After joining a local balloon crew in 1976, Elliott earned his pilot certification, studied architecture and solar technology, and later launched a hot air balloon passenger ride operation with the Balloon Corporation of America in Michigan. He flew competitively in events across the U.S., winning top prizes at major balloon festivals like The Great Preakness Balloon Race, the National Balloon Rally, and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Now retired, Capt. Sunshine lives on a small farm in Michigan, raising chickens, tending gardens, and reflecting on a high-flying career that saw him pilot 68 different balloons, over 2,600 flights—and open more than 6,000 bottles of celebratory champagne.