The Balloonatics

Join Craig Elliott as he shares hilarious tales of adventure, mishaps, and high-flying shenanigans from his forty-two years as a hot air balloon pilot.
After graduating high school in 1976, Craig Elliott accepted a friend's invitation to join a local hot air balloon crew. That moment changed his life forever.
"I was sweating bullets by the time we lifted off, feeling a little faint, but that subsided, and almost instantly I felt exhilarated and enthralled. Everything below began getting smaller and smaller till it looked like one of those model cities with the miniature train set running through it. ... This is awesome!"
Elliott was hooked-and would go on to spend the next forty-two years soaring across the skies of the United States as a proud "balloonatic."
From working alongside World Hot Air Balloon Champion Captain Phogg to narrowly avoiding collisions with observatory towers, The Balloonatics is filled with the breathtaking highs and turbulent lows that only a life in the clouds can bring.
With warmth, humor, and a touch of mischief, Craig Elliott invites you into the basket to experience the adventures, mishaps, and unforgettable characters that marked his long career as a hot air balloon pilot.

Craig Elliott is a rare bird, a professional Hot Air Balloon Pilot for 40 years. Somewhere along the road he took on the pilot nickname of "Capt. Sunshine." While this may seem a bit whimsical, one only needed to watch him in action as his enthusiasm for hot air ballooning radiated.He began as a ground crew member for Dr. John Hall, a local balloonist, in 1976, after graduating from Okemos High School in Okemos, Michigan, and soon began taking flight lessons in Hot Air Balloons. He obtained associate degrees in Architecture and Solar Technology from Lansing Community College and started his own company, "Elliott and Sun Builders." Craig then began employment with Balloon Corporation of America (BCA) in Fenton, Michigan, in 1983.Following extensive travel throughout the USA with the Buick Olympic Balloon, Capt. Sunshine returned to BCA to begin and manage a hot air balloon passenger ride program that grew to be one of the largest and most prestigious in the Midwest. Competing in many balloon events over the years sharpened Capt. Sunshine's skills. In 1984, flying the Buick Olympic Balloon in the Great Preakness Balloon Race in Baltimore, Maryland, he placed third. Flying "The Gr-r-reat Tony" Balloon for Kellogg's at the National Balloon Rally in Statesville, North Carolina, he won the top prize in 1985 and returned to take first place again out of one hundred and forty other balloons in 1986. Several other smaller events were also won. He competed in the Battle Creek International Balloon Championships flying the Buick Olympic Balloon in 1986. He also competed at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in 1986 while flying passenger rides and took first place in the McDonald's Race, and in 1989 flying the Virgin Jumbo III Special Shape Balloon for Virgin Atlantic Airways he won second place in the Special Shape Rodeo event at Fiesta.Capt. Sunshine excelled in other aspects during his ballooning career as well. He and his wife, Michelle, planned, and Craig acted as Balloon Meister, for the TV 9&10 Balloon Classic in Traverse City, Michigan. They did the same with the Seven Lakes State Park Balloon Race for ten years running, and five years with the Trans-Michigan Balloon Race.Capt. Sunshine retired from ballooning in 2019 after 43 incredible years of wonderful adventures and excitement. This book will bring you along for the ride. He currently lives in Michigan on a small farm with his wife, Michelle, where they raise chickens and tend several large vegetable gardens.Career Statistics: Flew 68 different balloons in 11 different sizes and classes from 56,000 cu. ft. AX-6 to 216,000 cu. ft. AX-11. Flew 2,693 flights, safely flying 14,401 human passengers, one dog named "Lucky," and one Big Boy statue, thus averaging 5.35 humans and 0.00037 dogs/statues per flight. Over 6,000 bottles of champagne opened post flight!