Magic
Carpet Ride's pilot in command is Brigham Asbury Pyron, though most people just
call him Brigham (yes, like the university). Brigham went to his first hot air balloon
rally in Greenville, SC in the mid-eighties which is where he got his
first taste for flying. For the next decade he crewed and flew for other pilots
as he learned more and more about ballooning.
He earned his first pilot's certificate in 1993 and then got "seriously" into ballooning 2 years later. He purchased his first balloon in 1998 and then his first commercial balloon, Sky Dancer, in 2000.
As is required for all hot air balloon pilots, Brigham is certificated by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and has a 100% safety record. The FAA also regulates his balloon with required annual inspections.
In addition to his Hot Air Balloon Commercial Pilot rating, he also holds commercial and Certified Flight Instructor airplane pilot ratings.