Balloon Pilots

With over 11,000 hours of combined Hot Air Ballooning experience, the pilots of Balloons Above The Valley have been leaders in the hot air ballooning community.

They are all FAA approved pilots and have dominated the skies in California, Arizona and Africa. Dedicated and strong, they have gained a reputation as forerunners in Hot Air Ballooning, setting standards for others in safety, education and passenger service.

Your Hot Air Balloon Pilots:

Bob Barbarick
A native of the Napa Valley, Bob started flying balloons in 1977. He has extensive knowledge of the art of ballooning, with over 5,500 hours of flying balloons. Whether it be riding the winds, scuba diving, flying his airplane, skiing or river rafting, Bob is a mild mannered adventurer. He works hard and is dedicated to keeping the balloon business safe, exciting and enjoyable for every passenger that flies with Balloons Above the Valley. His easy-going personality makes him your ideal guide when floating over the beautiful wine country.

Frank Jones
Frank originally started flying balloons in southern California in 1977. Over 4,000 hours of flying has not diminished his passion for flying; he particularly enjoys sharing this with first time passengers. Combining his love of ballooning with his insatiable appetite for travel, he has flown in 8 countries on 5 continents. He has also participated in many international balloon events as an official. Whether flying over vineyards, 400-year-old villages, dormant volcanoes, or herds of wildebeest, he still enjoys each and every flight. After flying, passengers enjoy countless stories of former balloon adventures. When not flying balloons you can find him riding his Harley Davidson through the hills and valleys of northern California. He has been riding motorcycles since the age of 16, but his first love is hot air ballooning.

JP Gagnon
J.P. has been with Balloons Above The Valley since 1999 when he moved to the Napa Valley to support his wife's dream of running a Bed and Breakfast. We love men that support their wife's dreams! He started his ballooning career in the Napa Valley and trained with some of the most experienced pilots available. J.P. is known as the "Jack of all trades" here at the company offering assistance in all areas of the business. In his off hours, J.P. can be found fishing anywhere he can. His smoked salmon is scrumptious!

 

 

Jonathan Robinson
An Englishman with 25 years of flying experience, Jonathan was a British Royal Navy helicopter pilot and instructor before ‘graduating’ to a lighter than air flight. Beginning in the green fields of England; Jonathan has been fortunate to have flown passengers over the Austrian Alps, the snows of Mount Kenya, the Big Game of the African Plains, the Temples of Japan and the Theme Parks of Central Florida. A yacht skipper and scuba diver, Jonathan prefers either to on or under the water if he can’t be in the air.

 

 

Scott Carroll
Scott started ballooning in Phoenix, AZ in 1987, where he owned and operated his own balloon company for several years. He joined the Balloons Above the Valley team in 2008.

Scott’s ballooning adventures have taken him from coast to coast where he has flown in numerous balloon events, most notably several years participating in the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the largest event of its type in the world.

Scott’s other avid interests include sailing which he began at an early age on Lake Michigan in Chicago. When Scott is not floating peacefully above the vineyards of Napa Valley, you can find him and his wife of 28 years sailing the waters of San Francisco bay aboard their sailboat Muzique.