In 1977 Pat began crewing at the Balloon Fiesta for out of town pilots, followed by earning her private pilots license in 1983 and a commercial license in 1984. She received her gas balloon license in 1999. She flew in the first modern day hydrogen flight in the US in October 1999.
Pat was elected to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Board of Director in 1988. For the next ten years she served in many capacities including Chief Safety Officer in 1992 and 1993, Assistant Balloonmeisterin in 1994 and 1995 and as the Balloonmeisterin of the largest Ballooning Event in the world in 1996 and 1997. She has also officiated at Nationals in 1997 and 1998 and Team Nationals in 1998 and 1999.
After leaving the AIBF Board of Directors in 1998, she became the AIBF Event Director.
May, 1983:
Hot Air Balloon Pilot
August, 1984
Commercial Rating
October, 1999:
Helium/hydrogen Gas Balloon Pilot
1992-1993:
Chief Safety Officer, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
1994-1995:
Assistant Balloonmeisterin
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Safety Officer, 8th World Gas Balloon Championships, Albuquerque, NM
1996 Balloonmeisterin (Event Director), Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Committee Member and Operations, America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race
1997 Senior Staff, U.S. Nationals, Columbia, MO
Balloonmeisterin (Event Director), Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Committee Member and Operations, America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race
1998 Safety Officer, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Jury Member, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Senior Staff, Nationals, Rantoul, IL
Senior Staff, Team Nationals, Battle Creek, MI
Event Director, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Committee Member and Operations, America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race
1999 Safety Officer, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Jury Member, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Balloonmeisterin (Fiesta Balloons) at Team Nationals, Battle Creek, MI
Event Director, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Administrative Event Director to the 43rd Coupe Aéronautique Internationale Gordon Bennett
2000 PR Committee Chair, FAI/CIA
Safety Officer, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Jury Member, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Balloonmeisterin (Fiesta Balloons) at Team Nationals, Battle Creek, MI
Event Director, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Event Director, 5th America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race
2001 PR Committee Chair, FAI/CIA
Safety Officer, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Jury Member, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Deputy Director, Worlds Air Games, Seville, Spain
Event Director, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Event Director, 6th America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race
2002 PR Committee Chair, FAI/CIA
Safety Officer, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Jury Member, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Event Director, Albuquerque, International Balloon Fiesta
Event Director, 7th America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race (Category I Event)
2003 PR Committee Chair, FAI/CIA
Safety Officer, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Jury Member, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Event Director, Albuquerque, International Balloon Fiesta
Event Director, 8th America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race
2004 PR Committee Chair, FAI/CIA
Safety Officer, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Jury Member, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Jury Member, 48th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett,
Thionville, France
Event Director, Albuquerque, International Balloon Fiesta
Event Director, 9th America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race
Jury Member, Motegi Hot Air International Championship
(Final Round of 2004 World Honda Grande Prix
& Final round of Japan Honda Grand Prix),
Motegi, Japan
2005 PR Committee Chair, FAI/CIA
Event Director, Albuquerque, International Balloon Fiesta
Safety Officer, New Mexico State Hot Air Championship
Competition Director, 49th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett
Albuquerque, NM
Competition Director, 10th America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race
Awards:
March, 2000 FAI Airsport Medal