Job Information
Balloons Over Letchworth Balloon Chase Crew in Castile, New York
We are looking for part-time help.
The position Balloon Chase Crew member.
Crew members with driver's license, pay is $75 per run. Without a driver's license, pay is $50 per run.
A Chase crew is made up of able-bodied people who help assemble, inflate, and launch hot air balloons, under the direction of their pilot.
They then follow the balloon in one of more of our chase vehicles, consisting of a pickup truck by itself, or a pickup with a trailer. It might also include a shuttle vehicle like a van or Suburban, to bring passengers back to the launch site after the flight.
At the conclusion of the flight the crew helps the pilot land, deflate the balloon, pack it up, and return it to the truck or trailer.
We schedule flights at sunrise and at sunset, Monday through Saturday, May through October.
Balloon flights are HIGHLY sensitive to wind and weather. So over half of the scheduled flights are canceled at the last minute due to weather/safety.
Crew people are welcome to schedule themselves for as many or as few flights as their schedule permits. Once scheduled for a flight, if weather is good, the crew person is committed to the flight. However, if a flight is canceled for weather, the crew is released from that obligation.
Pay for the 2023 season has been $75 per flight. A typical flight is approximately 3 hours in length. Tips are an occasional nice addition.
Formal crew training is held at the beginning of each new season. For training purposes the first few flights each new crew member participates in, On the Job Training (OJT).
New Hires must be of 21 years of age to be eligible to drive company vehicles, Those under 21 are valuable in other ways.
Individuals of all ages, to include retirees are welcome to apply for positions within our crews for the 2023 season.
*Veterans are particularly welcome.
For questions related to these position please contact Carroll.
Training is scheduled to start on April 22, 2023.
Up and Away!