One of a large number of hearty people who has made it their livelihood to fly Hot-Air balloons. Usually earning thier keep through the sale of balloon flights to groundhogs, (not the furry ones) although they sometimes also rake in the cash through advertising on the balloon, or in the extreme cases, flying a balloon shaped like a particular product. They are, indeed, geeks of a different sort and thus are just as eccentric as any other geek. They usually work out of small, privately-owned businesses in rural areas.

Balloonists, like any semi-organized group of professional hobbyists, hold local, state, and national meets all year round, the largest one being the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico. These gatherings are speckled with parties and other smatterings of wahoo.

Bal*loon"ist, n.

An aeronaut.

 

© Webster 1913.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.