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MEET YOUR PILOTS

Tom's Story

As a skydiver, Tom had always wanted to jump from a hot air balloon. In 1995, he finally got his wish at an air show in Ponca City. Two years later he was invited back for more skydiving at the Ponca City event. That's the year he met Kelli. Tom and Kelli were married a year later. Kelli was his flight instructor, and he taught her how to skydive. They started out with just one balloon, then they bought another balloon so they could both fly. In 2004 they purchased the new Lindstrand balloons which they now fly. Tom received his private pilot license in 1999, and his commercial pilot license in 2004.

 

 

Kelli's Story

Kelli's favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz. As a child, she always imagined if she was lost, a balloon would take her home. When she moved back to her hometown, Tulsa, Oklahoma, she used to see balloons flying in the distance and dreamed that one day she could at least get up close - not realizing she could drive to see them landing. In 1994, a friend told her the balloons would be launching down by the river…..and the rest is history. She started her pilot training the following year and with the help of many balloonists & friends, she received her private pilot's license in June of 1996 and her commercial license a year and half later. In 1997, Kelli participated in the Ponca City Air Show, where she met a skydiver named Tom from Kansas. He invited her to come skydive, in Wichita, which she did. Tom taught Kelli to skydive and Kelli taught Tom how to fly a balloon. It was a match made in heaven!

 

 

HAVNFUN HOT AIR BALLOONING HISTORY

HAVNFUN hot air ballooning was founded in 1997 and is a full service hot air balloon company providing HOT AIR BALLOON RIDES, Corporate balloon advertising programs, event organization and management, flight instruction, and balloon sales for Lindstrand Balloons US. Located in the Coachella Valley and flying out of Indio, Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Coachella, Indian Wells and La Quinta, Tom and Kelli Keller have over 30 years of combined experience flying hot air balloons. They are fully FAA Licensed Pilots with Commercial ratings including Flight Instruction. Their passion for hot air ballooning is evidenced by the friendships they have developed throughout the US and the world. The media is excited with their unique relationship of a husband wife team sharing their ballooning experiences and expertise, resulting in many opportunities including television news features and numerous newspaper articles being written about them.

 

The following are relationships that HAVNFUN Hot Air Ballooning has established: