Seattle Ballooning’s Hot Air Balloon Pilots
Our hot air balloon pilots love introducing new people to the magic of flight. Want to know more about us?
At Seattle Ballooning, we are committed to employing the best balloon pilots in the world. A great balloon pilot is defined by skill, precision, and adaptability—qualities essential for navigating the stunning yet challenging landscape around Seattle and Mt. Rainier. Surrounded by the Cascade Mountains, Puget Sound, dense forests, rivers, and lakes, our flying area demands that pilots use wind currents at different altitudes to reach precise locations. That’s why all our pilots are competition pilots, trained to navigate complex courses and drop markers within a 10-meter target area.
Since 2009, I’ve been passionate about hot air ballooning. There is nothing quite like seeing an eagle’s nest from the sky, watching elk and horses graze in their fields, flying inches above corn tassels, skimming the bottom of a hot air balloon basket on a river or lake, and enjoying the incredible views of Mt. Rainier.
Cameron has been in the business of ballooning since he was 13. In 2018, he was selected for the Junior US National Team and competed in Poland for the Junior World Championship. In 2020, Cameron was ranked 2nd overall in the US for hot air balloon competition.
Zack Griego is an experienced hot air balloon pilot from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has dedicated himself to flying daily over the past year. Before joining the Seattle Ballooning team, Zack flew commercially in Phoenix. In his first year of competition ballooning, he earned Rookie of the Year.
McKenna is one of the only active female commercial hot air balloon pilots in the NW. She loves to fly hot air balloons and train new pilots. She is a lead instructor in Seattle Ballooning’s young aeronauts program.
Amy is a commercial pilot always seeking new adventures, flying in stunning locations like Mt. Rainier, the Teotihuacan pyramids in Mexico, and the red rocks of Utah. She co-owns the world’s premier FAA certified 141 hot air balloon flight school with her husband, where she instructs students from around the globe. Amy also competes in Women’s Nationals and enjoys outdoor activities with her five children in Southern Utah.
Amanda Brodbeck is a highly skilled and adventurous hot air balloon pilot, renowned as the US Women’s National Hot Air Balloon Champion and the top-ranked female pilot in the United States. Her lifelong passion for ballooning has propelled her to the pinnacle of the sport. When she’s not soaring through the skies, Amanda enjoys a variety of hobbies, including dancing, mountain biking, and paragliding.
