The Balloonatics by Craig Elliott

Memoir of a Professional Hot Air Balloon Pilot

Memoir of Hot Air Balloon Pilot “Capt. Sunshine” Takes Readers on a Raucous and Rowdy Sky-Tripping Ride

Traverse City, MI–Faced with forks in the road and financial struggles, a young Craig Elliott answered a knock on his door. It was Larry, the buddy he had learned to fly hot air balloons with telling him to pack his bags. The Buick Olympic Balloon Tour—a promotion for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles—needed two hot air balloon pilots, and it needed them now. That’s just the beginning of Elliott’s very wild ride. In The Balloonatics, Memoir of a Professional Hot Air Balloon Pilot, (Mission Point Press, November 18, 2025), he shares hilarious tales of adventure, mishaps, and high-flying shenanigans from his forty-two years as a hot air balloon pilot.

The Balloonatics, Memoir of a Professional Hot Air Balloon Pilot

After obtaining associate degrees in architecture and solar technology and starting his building company during a recession, Elliott eventually found his footing in a sky-bound basket. With soaring highs like flying over Niagara Falls and dramatic lows, including when a $1.2 million tethered helium balloon was destroyed by a freak thunderstorm, The Balloonatics is a must-read for aviation enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike.

A High-Flying Career

Elliott’s career includes time in both general passenger ride programs as well as corporate sponsored events. “Both experiences have been very rewarding. Taking people up for their first ride and seeing the thrill in their eyes as they tell you it was the most fun they’ve ever had makes you feel fantastic. The corporate gigs created unforgettable memories as well—all the travel to different regions for flights was great fun,” Elliott shared.

Somewhere along the road, Elliott took on the nickname “Capt. Sunshine”—a whimsical moniker that, while capturing the mood of bright balloons adrift in a summer sky, belies the extreme skill, knowledge, and experience needed as their pilot. That’s especially the case in the competitive events Elliott participated in throughout the years, including first place wins in 1985 and 1986 in the National Balloon Rally in Statesville, North Carolina. “Those competitions involve using the winds at different altitudes to try and direct the balloon to a target. Balloons simply go with the wind—you can’t steer a balloon or make it go faster,” Elliott said.

Advanced Praise

Advance praise for The Balloonatics from Mike Howard, hot air balloon pilot:

“The Balloonatics takes you on a journey through Craig’s ballooning adventures, showcasing some of the wild and wonderful situations that most balloonists take for granted. It encapsulates the ballooning community with one goal: to have fun no matter what.”

Upcoming Events

Craig Elliott will be appearing at a number of hot air balloon events this summer; copies of The Balloonatics, and merchandise will be available for purchase.

• July 18–20: Jackson Hot Air Jubilee, Jackson, Michigan

• August 22–23: Metamora Country Days, Metamora, Michigan

• September 5–6: Wayland Balloon Festival, Wayland, Michigan

• September 12–14: Balloons Over Bay Harbor, Bay Harbor, Michigan

The Author

Craig Elliott—known in the skies as “Capt. Sunshine”—is a professional hot air balloon pilot who spent over four decades bringing joy to more than 14,000 passengers (plus one dog and a Big Boy statue). After joining a local balloon crew in 1976, Elliott earned his pilot certification, studied architecture and solar technology, and later launched a successful passenger ride program with the Balloon Corporation of America in Michigan. He flew competitively in events across the U.S., winning top prizes at national races, including the Great Preakness Balloon Race, the National Balloon Rally, and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Now retired, Capt. Sunshine lives on a small farm in Michigan, raising chickens, tending gardens, and reflecting on a high-flying career that saw him pilot 68 different balloons over 2,600 flights—and open more than 6,000 bottles of celebratory champagne

The Book

The Balloonatics, Memoir of a Professional Hot Air Balloon Pilot

Craig Elliott

332 pages, 6 x 9, B/W

Biography & Autobiography, Memoirs, Aviation & Nautical, Travel, Special Interest, Adventure

ISBN: 978-1-965278-73-4, $29.95 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 978-1-965278-74-1, $18.95 (Softcover)

Mission Point Press, November 18, 2025

Copies are available for preorder at Bookshop.org, Amazon, and other online retailers. On its November 18 publication date, it will be available for purchase wherever books are sold. For information or to arrange for signings and events, contact the author at craig@theballoonatics.com or www.theballoonatics.com.

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