Being a native of Albuquerque becoming interested in ballooning was quite easy

Mark Sullivan (USA)
D-OABQ
Being a native of Albuquerque becoming interested in ballooning was quite easy. My first balloon flight was in 1973 and I attended most of the early balloon events in Albuquerque. My first balloon came ten years later and in 1983 I received my commercial balloon license, my gas balloon rating in 1985. Total balloon hours 1950 with 900 of them in gas balloons. I belong to all national and local aviation organizations. Ballooning has changed my life and led to many great experiences and great friends all over the world.

Awards in ballooning:
1987 U.S. Nationals Balloonmeister Award 1988 U.S. Nationals Balloonmeister Award 1990 Top Gun Award for Service 1991 BFA Director at Large, award for service 1993 BFA Presidents Award 1993 CIA Air Sports Medal 1994 BFA Shilds-Trauger Award for service to gas & hot air ballooning 1996 BFA Al Desmond Award, for service to hot air ballooning 1998 FAI Montgolfier Diploma, for service to Aerostation 1999 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Hall of Fame 2000 AAAA Sid Cutter Award, outstanding contribution to hot air ballooning FAI Gold Sporting Badge with three diamonds Level 8 BFA PAAP program Level 11 FAA wings program

Service to ballooning:
1984-1986 Board of Directors of the Albuquerque Aerostatic Ascension Association Vice President 1985 and 1986 1986-1996: Board of directors of Top Gun Inc. President 1986 to 1991, Co-founder 1987-1993: Board of Directors of the Competition Division of the BFA, Chairman of the Board 1992 and 1993. Original board member 1986-2002: Board of Directors of the Gas Division of the BFA, Chairman of the Board 1996 and 1997. Helped form the Division and one of the original board members. 1989-Present: Board of director of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Vice President 1995 & 1996, President 1997 & 1998, and Treasure 2000-2003 1994-Present: Chairman of the AA/AM Gas Balloon-working group in the CIA 1995-1997 United States Alternate Delegate to the FAI Ballooning Commission (CIA) 1998-Present: United States Delegate to the FAI Balloon Commission (CIA) 2002 Elected 3rd Vice President FAI Ballooning Commission 2003 Elected 2nd Vice President FAI Ballooning Commission

Event organization:
1985 & 1986 Organized and was the Event Director for the NM State Championship 1986 Co-Founded Top Gun Inc. the largest competitive balloon club in the US 1987-1991 BFA Competition Division Sanction Manager, sanctioned over 400 events 1987, 1988, 1994 Assistant Championship Director, U.S. National Hot Air Championship 1989 Co-Founder of the Special Shapes Rodeo, Event Director the first eight years 1993 Organized and was the Event Director for the 37th Coupe Gordon Bennett 1994 Organized and was the Event Director for the 9th World Gas Balloon Championship 1995 to present: Events Committee Chairman, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 1995 Founded the America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race, Event Director 1995 & 1996
1996 Founded the Flight of the Nations, held during the AIBF. 1999 Organized the 43rd Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett 2000 Deputy Director 44th Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett, Belgium 2000 5th America’s Challenge, first organized use of hydrogen in US gas competition
2001 Event Director for the World Air Games Gas Event, Seville, Spain 2002 Event Director 24th Spanish Hot Air Ballooning Nationals
2002 Deputy Director 7th America's Challenge
2003 Deputy Director 8th America's Challenge Has been a competition official at more that fifty-sanctioned events, both gas and hot air. Played a major role in United States being awarded the 1995 World Hot Air Balloon championships. 37th & 43rd Coupe Gordon Bennett, and 1994 World Gas Balloon Championship.
Competition in Hot Air:
1984 1st New Mexico State Championship
1984 3rd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
1985 3rd Longview Texas, won $10,000 key grab
1985 1st New Mexico State Championship
1986 1st Top Gun Championship
1987 2nd Top Gun Championship
1988 3rd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
1989 1st Top Gun Championship
1990 7th North American Championship San Antonia, Texas
1992 1st North American Championship Baton Rouge, Louisiana
1992 1st Breckinridge Continental Dived Sanctioned race 17,300’ to cross dived
1994 5th North American Championship Brockville, Canada
1994 3rd U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship
1994 1st New Mexico State Championship
1995 1st U.S. National Team Championship, flying with Sid Cutter & Troy Bradley
2002 1st NABA South West Regional Championship
2002 2nd place New Mexico State Championship
2002 1st Top Gun Championship
Competed in 16 US National Hot Air Championships 1984-1999
Competed in 4 North American Hot Air Balloon Championships 1988,1990, and 1992. Team Captain in 1994, U.S. winning the Team Championship
Competed in the 1995 World Hot Air Balloon Championship


Competition in Gas Balloons:
1985 2nd Albuquerque Fiesta Gas Race, Albuquerque, NM .to Wakeeney, Kansas
1985 1st Thunderbird Gas Balloon Race, Phoenix to Alamosa, Colorado
1986 4th World Gas Balloon Championship
1986 1st Albuquerque Fiesta Gas Race
1987 1st Hidden Manor Gas Balloon Race, Allentown, PA to North East, New York
1989 2nd Indianapolis Gas Balloon Race
1990 4th World Gas Balloon championship
1993 2nd U.S. National Gas Balloon Championship
1995 1st U.S. National Gas Balloon Championship
1996 2nd place 9th World Gas Balloon championship Bitterfield, Germany
1996 3rd U.S. National Gas Balloon Championship, St. Louis, MO co-pilot for David Levin
1996 4th place 39th Gordon Bennett Wil, Switzerland to Zelve, Belarus 1280 km
1997 2nd place 41st Gordon Bennett Warsteine, Germany to Romanian coast, 1732.3 km
1998 2nd place 4th America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race to Side Lake, MI 1786 km
1999 7th place 43rd Gordon Bennett Albuquerque, NM to Spearville, LA 1326.5 km
2000 5th America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race to White Water, Wisconsin 1762 km
2001 4th place 45th Gordon Bennett Warsteine, Germany to Priseace, Romania 1420 km
2001 4th place 6th America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race to Black River, WI 1695 km
2002 3rd place 7th America's Challenge Albuquerque to Homer, GA 2109 km

Competed in the 31st, 38th, 39th 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 45th, 46 and 47th Coupe Gordon Bennett
Competed in the 4th, 6th, and 9th World Gas Balloon Championships
Current US National Gas Balloon Champion