Scott Spencer took his first balloon ride in 1973 and has owned over 50 different sport and commercial hot air balloons during his long career.

Spencer is recognized as being highly responsible for the advent of ballooning as a sport in the Pacific Northwest.

Scott has always been dedicated to the basic promotion of the sport to the general public as a family oriented, fun filled activity.

• In 1976, Scott co-founded the Northwest Ballooning Association and is a four  time office holder in that organization. Spencer remains the only NBA pilot to win back to back “Champion Aeronaut” awards in 1978 and 1979.

• In his thirty-eight (38) year career as a balloon pilot, Scott has logged over 6,000  hours of flight, and says : “That’s an awfully long time to be standing in one  place going nowhere in particular”.

• Scott’s aviation background includes airplanes, jets, sailplanes and helicopters.  He spent eight years as Vice President of marketing for Jet Helicopters, Inc. allowing Scott a unique opportunity and insight into the world of corporate aviation. The foundation of his ballooning companies are modeled from that experience.

• As President of Lighter Than Air America, Incorporated, the only ballooning  operation in the United States that dedicates its entire operations to corporate flight operations, Spencer continues to break new ground with innovative ways to “expose” his clients logos to the world.

• Currently, Spencer’s companies own, operate and maintain balloons for some of  the highest profile companies in North America including Coca-Cola and  Kellogg’s.  Regional clients include the Wildhorse Resort & Casino, CBS affiliate  KBCI, computer giant Fiberpipe, the City of Boise, Idaho and others. 

In 2005, Scott added the Disneyland Resort to his client list as he and wife Laurie were honored by Disney to serve as pilot’s for Disney’s “Happiest Balloon On Earth”  tour, a celebration of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary. Today, the Disney balloon flies the traditional “Ear Force One” scheme.

• Scott is best known in professional ballooning circles for his “on site” work with  the general public during flight operations and promotional events for his clients and the general public.

Spencer’s ability to promote product and service is award winning and certainly justifies his reputation as Ballooning’s “Aerial Ambassador”.  Scott loves to involve the public in his balloon flights and can usually be found telling children and their parents all about the sport of ballooning before and after most flights.

• Scott is a multiple award winning balloon event producer, providing balloonists and the general public with some of the finest ballooning events ever produced.

Spencer has produced nearly fifty signature balloon events during his career.  The most notable being the “Coca-Cola Countdown to 2,000” which was viewed on  live television internationally and in the United States by 175 million households.

Currently, Spencer and his event staff produce two events each year, the last full week in June is reserved for the Spirit of Boise-Balloon Classic with the third weekend in October set aside for the Wildhorse Resort & Casino Balloon Bash.

• Scott created and founded the Le Societe De Alzheimer ballooning organization in 1987 and the Northwest Aviators Association, an FAA approved drug  abatement program in 1990.

• Scott visits as many as fifty elementary schools each year, sharing ballooning and various timely messages with the school’s children after each flight demonstration.

• In August of 1989, Scott flew as passengers, the first Soviet citizens (known) to  fly in a sport balloon.

• On November 16, 1989, Scott made the first in-door, non tethered balloon flight in Seattle’s King Dome.

• On April 10, 2006, Scott made the first known inflation and launch from the floor of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA.

Scott is an avid photographer, scuba diver and car collector, hobbies he shares with his wife Laurie. As retirement nears, Scott looks forward to traveling with Laurie, despite the nearly 200 days per year they spend on the road with their balloons.

Scott says he has had four inspired moments in his ballooning career. The first came in 1995 when he was named “Pilot of the Year” by members of the Northwest Ballooning Association, an honor that was repeated in 2000 making him the only two time winner of that award.

The third was a flight operation conducted in Disney’s “Happiest Balloon on Earth” from the floor of the Grand Canyon and the fourth, hands down the most enjoyable flight ever conducted was on July 17, 2006 at Disneyland as part of that “Parks” 50th Birthday.

Laurie has been flying hot air balloons for almost two decades now and is regarded as one of the foremost female corporate balloon pilots in the U.S.

Laurie is the first female pilot to fly a Disney or Coca-Cola hot air balloon.

Flying some of the most prominent corporate logo’s in the world Laurie has left a smile where ever she visits.  Laurie is comfortable in all the balloons the company flies for its clients and does regular pilot duty in all of them. 

Laurie also serves as Vice President of the family ballooning business, Lighter Than Air America, where she assumes responsibility for the smooth running of the office and staff. 

In addition to flying for Kellogg, Coca-Cola and Disney her duties include operations as the primary pilot for the Wildhorse Resort & Casino balloon.  Laurie also operates the companies helium airships.

Laurie co-hosts the Spirit of Boise-Balloon Classic and the Wildhorse Resort & Casino “Balloon Bash” with her husband, Scott.  She enjoys focusing her attention on the physical aspects of hosting the guest pilots during this event. 

With husband Scott, Laurie visits as many as fifty elementary schools each year teaching students the importance of getting a good education. That’s over 50,000 elementary school children that get to enjoy a personal visit by Laurie and her Lighter Than Air America balloons! 

Laurie is a confident interview when doing television, radio, and newspaper interviews.