About Us!

A Yankee Balloon does many of its flights in the picturesque countryside of Litchfield Hills, Central Connecticut, and the Housatonic  and Naugatuck River Valleys.

A Yankee Balloon is owned and operated by Bill Colyer. Bill is a FAA certified pilot and flight instructor. He has been flying balloons since 1974.

Besides the ride operation, Bill attends 12-16 Balloon events a year. On the road Bill has been a real competitor, winning awards and prize money. He won 1st place at the New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in 1998. In 1995 he received The County Executives Sportsman Award at the Hudson Valley event in New York State. In 1994 Bill also won Best of Show at Goshen, CT. Bill was also part of the American team that won Irelands Frank Barnes Trophy in 1999 and again in 2001. Bill had the pleasure of flying in the Alps in Mauterndorf, Austria at the 2002 Fire & Snow Balloon Fest. Bill has attended The Genisis Waiarapa & Balloons Over Waikato Festivals in New Zealand. Bill won the 2002 Masterton Balloon Cup with new friend Per Rold on their flying skills or was it all luck?

Bill has been Balloonmeister at many prominent Balloon Festivals in the Northeast.

We have many friends spread out in the ballooning community and have traveled extensively with them. You don't make much money, but the experiences are priceless.