Don't get fooled by some company's claims as how much combined experience they have or how many years the company has been in existence! 

Ask... how many years your pilot has been flying!

We let our pilot's experience speak for it's self.

Jon Thompson

Jon has been involved in ballooning since the early seventies and comes from a family of balloonists; his oldest brother Jeff and his father Jim also fly hot air balloons.  Jon has been a licensed plot for over 30 years and has logged thousands of hours flying balloons all over the United States, Canada, Mexico and Japan. For many years Jon traveled extensively throughout the U.S. as a Corporate Balloon Pilot flying for different companies such as Pepsi, Kellogg's, General Motors, ACDelco, and Jose Cuervo Tequila. He still operates balloons for Children's Miracle Network & RE/MAX but does most of his flying in Central Florida. Jon can really make his passengers feel at home and at ease in the skies.  Jon is the founder of Black Sheep Balloons.

Bob Carlton

Bob has been flying balloons since 1976. He is one of the most experienced pilots in the state of Florida having amassed thousands of hours flying all over the United States and the world. He has flown over many countries such as Australia, New Zealand, UK, France, Switzerland, and Canada. From 1978 to 1980 he flew the Budweiser, Black Angus and Westinghouse balloons for World Balloons in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He then moved to Tampa to head the repair station and fly the Tampa Tribune and Freedom Savings balloons. Since 1986, Bob has flown for Disney. He has flown Mickey, Donald, Cinderella's Castle, and most recently in 2000, Spaceship Earth. Besides his experience Bob is also a wonderful entertainer and really can make his passengers feel at ease as he maneuvers his balloon over beautiful Central Florida.

Mark Roberson

Mark started his career in the US Marine Corps in 1977, flying fixed-wing aircraft. He obtained his balloon ratings in the early 1980's and became involved with the FAA.  Mark is a Designated Pilot Examiner, Aviation Safety Counselor, chaired the FAA Balloon Safety Seminar in Lakeland, Florida, for seven years, and has amassed more than 3,500 hours. He has flown all over the US, Central and South America in corporate balloons for The Hard Rock Café, The Ball Park Frank, Bryan, Ford, Mossy Oak, Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Miller Genuine Draft, and was chief pilot for Orlando’s world-renowned Rosie O’Grady’s Flying Circus for several years.   Mark also speaks fluent Spanish.

Sean Askren

Sean Askren is from Middletown, Ohio and has been involved in ballooning since 1977.  He took his first ride on June 7, 1977 with his father who was on his second training flight and has been hooked ever since.

Sean started flying balloons in 1984 and became a commercial pilot in 1987. He has flown professionally for over twenty years flying corporate contracts for Pontiac, GMC, Goodwrench, AC Delco, US Bank, BB&T, Pennzoil, AT&T as well as special shape balloons such as the Soccer Ball,  Football and the Winston special shape balloon. Sean has flown at over 200 balloon events in every state of the continental United States as well as Canada, Mexico & Scotland.

Honorary Black Sheep

Visit our friends up north at the Black Sheep Squadron  

"We know its a goat.........

Oh wait, its a sheep with horns 'cause it's badass"