And while he’s still flying, he’s also serving as balloonmeister for three hot air balloon festivals, including Aloft, which will be held this weekend at Heritage Park in Simpsonville.
The balloonmeister — or what non balloonists might call event coordinator — manages all balloon flying activities, from serving as the liaison between the FAA and the pilots to briefings on weather and other information twice daily to planning for all the competitive events.
Parks has 12 people working with him to pull off the event, which will crown a race winner as well as Southeast Regional champion. Aloft is a Balloon Federation of America event, which means the southeast champ gets an automatic bid to the U.S. National Balloon championship in Longview, Texas.
In all, 70 pilots will compete this weekend, including Buck and Louise Egerton and their son, Drew, who won Aloft last year. All three pilot their own balloons. There are also a number of fathers and sons competing against one another and a slew of past champions, including reigning world champion Nick Donner and two-time world champ John Petrehn.
“Some of the best pilots in the world are coming,” Parks said.
Parks, 53, who lives in Statesville, N.C., the home of Carolina BalloonFest, said he was 26 when he volunteered to serve on the chase crew for an out-of-town pilot, who in turn gave him a ride to say thank you.
“I fell in love,” Parks said.
He took ground school training, put in his flight hours and became certified by the FAA.
The next year, Parks was back with a used hot air balloon made by Firefly that he paid $12,000 for. Statesville is home to Firefly and the competition there began 42 years ago as a homecoming for Firefly owners. It has grown to attract about 50 pilots and is one of the longest-running hot air balloon festivals in the country.
Parks serves as balloonmeister for that event as well as the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which is the largest. He’s also the president of the National Balloon Federation. And owns a heating and air-conditioning business.
He still competes about three or four times a year, he said. Before taking over as balloonmeister four years ago for Aloft, he competed here twice and won both times.
The Aloft event is unique in the balloon word, he said, because of the wide variety of activities other than balloons available.
“It is a family atmosphere and appeals to so many age groups,” he said.
As in past years, Aloft will have all sorts of rides and carnival games, a slackline, a place for people to fly radio-controlled airplanes as well as a long lineup of performers from all genres, country to rock to beach.
Simpsonville benefits from the open space around Heritage Park, Parks said. Hot air balloons in large measure are at the mercy of the wind and setting down may mean someplace different than the place originally intended.
“The pilots have great skill,” he said. “But if we miss the first landing site we can’t go back and try again.”
In fact, pilots set up their landing miles ahead of where they’re going.
“The saying is as soon as we take off we’re looking for a place to land,” Parks said.
Pilots rely on GPS, which tells them how high they are, what direction they’re going and how fast they’re going (also known as how fast the wind is blowing). Beyond that it’s skill.
Parks calls the launch of all the balloons at once during a festival — at sunrise and at sunset when the winds are calmest — a spectacle. A balloon as tall as a seven-story building lifts into the air, burners rushing and then drifts away.
“It’s a big slow-loving giant so colorful with great imagination, it takes your breath away,” he said. “And you can watch it for a long time.”
Music while you wait
While balloons are being rounded up by chasers, visitors can enjoy music as part of the Greenville Health System Amphitheater Concert Series. Time Flies and Hot Chelle Rae perform Friday; Ashley Monroe and Thompson Square perform Saturday; Spin Doctors and Blues Travelers perform Sunday; and The Catalinas, Lionz of Zion and The Fantastic Shakers perform Monday.
The Sandbar Music Stage, a smaller but no less rockin’ venue, will feature Reclaimed, Skeeziks and TJ Lazer on Friday; Beyond the Fire, Cecil Thompkins Band, Ragged Orchids, Honey and the Hot Rods, Hot As A Pepper, and Uncle Hamish and The Hooligans on Saturday; Clinton High School Jazz Band, Andrew Scotchie and the River Rats, Soul Stew, Wolfman Grant and the Palmetto Swamp Congregation, and KICK–The INXS Experience on Sunday; and Stereo Reform, Folsom Prison Gang, The Flying Saucers and Tyler Boone on Monday.
Professional Slackline competition hosted by Gibbon Slacklines will be on all four days. A 2-inch wide piece of “line” will be strung between buildings or other structures, and then walked across.
Lockheed Martin is supporting American Veterans Traveling Tribute, which honors service members and veterans.
New this year will be a field of honor display. Festival attendees will be able to purchase $5 American flags that will be displayed on the baseball field, and proceeds will benefit Honor Flights.
The Family Fun Zone will feature magicians, ventriloquists, jugglers, mimes and dog show, among other activities.
Tickets are $16 in advance, $20 before 4 p.m., $25 after 4 p.m., and free for children under 3-feet-tall with adult purchase. Parking is $5.
YOU CAN GO
What: Aloft
When: 4-11 p.m. May 23; 7 a.m.-11 p.m. May 24; noon-11 p.m. May 25; 7 a.m.-6 p.m. May 26.
Where: Heritage Park, 861 S.E. Main St., Simpsonville
More: http://www.aloft.org
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