COLUMBUS, Ohio — Russ Jurg caught the hot air balloon bug early.

 “I went up for the first time when I was 10 years old," he said. 

His inspiration began with his uncle and after spending time in the corporate world, his mother encouraged him to peruse his passion. 

“I knew that there was more to life than living out of a suitcase and living out of a hotel so my mom encouraged me to follow my dreams and follow my passion, and I decided in 2003 to become a pilot and I’ve been a pilot ever since," Jurg said.

Now Jurg is a commercial hot air balloon pilot with Columbus Aeronauts. His typical workday involves taking passengers on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Although the butterflies from flight have worn off with time, he continues to find fulfillment in ballooning through his passengers.

“Well, because I got exposed to ballooning from a very young age, the newness of experiencing ballooning for the very first time has worn off so now, I take great pleasure in seeing people experience ballooning for the very first time," he said.

Jurg said safety is the utmost priority. With every flight, the weather and wind have to be just right. While he serves as a pilot, a crew from Columbus Aeronauts helps with each flight, in particular the takeoff and landing. 

He said people are often surprised to learn that when they take off, they don't know exactly where the hot air balloon will land. It all depends on the weather. 

“So when we do land, we’ll be looking for a property to land like a front yard, back yard, a nice parking lot or a nice field that’s not a crop. Yeah, we don’t discriminate when it comes to landing spots. We’ll take what we can get," Jurg explained.

And when every flight comes to an end, Jurg reflects on his start and the encouragement from his mom. 

“My mom passed away in January," and he's reminded that life is a beautiful ride. 

If you're interested in booking a flight, click here.