Each year, Balloon Fiesta welcomes pilots from all over the world and launches 500+ balloons, making the ExxonMobil Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® the largest gathering of hot air balloons in the world!
In this month’s Inside the Basket, Marissa Vereb, the youngest pilot at this year’s 2025 Balloon Fiesta, shares more about her ballooning background, what inspired her to become a pilot, advice to those who are thinking of becoming a pilot, and more!
1. Give a brief overview of your ballooning background.
I’ve been involved in ballooning for as long as I can remember. I grew up crewing for my Dad and attending balloon tethers and events during the summer. Some of my earliest memories are those early mornings standing out in the field watching the balloons go up.
I began my own flight training in my Sophomore year of high school. I went online and signed up for a student pilot certificate and started flying whenever I could. I would fly with my Dad or any other pilot in the area who had room in their basket that morning. Throughout high school, I didn’t have enough time to fly consistently with school and all my other activities to earn my license. I even asked my school if I could come late every once and a while to go ballooning, to my surprise, they said no.
After high school, I was finally able to fly consistently, and I earned my commercial license in October of 2024 in Albuquerque, NM. Since then, I’ve been flying friends and family to build time. I also do the occasional training flight and am always looking for new students to teach.
2. What inspired you to become a pilot?
My main inspiration to become a pilot was my Dad. He has always been one of my biggest supporters, and he himself is a hot air balloon pilot. He’s also the one who would wake me up every morning at 4 am to go ballooning.
I really decided to pursue my license when I started thinking about what college to go to. I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do, so I started narrowing it down. I realized the only thing I truly enjoyed was flying. That Christmas, my Dad gifted me a discovery flight, and in January of 2023, I went on my first fixed-wing flight and immediately knew that’s what I wanted to do. I toured many flight schools with my Dad alongside me until I finally settled on one in Lakeland. In the fall, I began my fixed-wing flight training. I earned my private license in May 2024 and my instrument rating in November 2024. Now I’m working on my commercial license, and from there I plan to earn my CFI rating.
3. What balloon do you pilot, and what is the story behind it?
I pilot an orange, yellow, and red 54,000 cubic foot Aerostar balloon named Mini Bob. The history of the balloon starts in 1991 when it was first purchased in the Carolinas. In 1997, Drew Barrett bought the balloon and brought it to Tampa. He named it Big Top because it reminded him of a circus tent, and from what I’ve heard, Drew loves the circus! In 2001, he sold it to Jim Skyes; in 2013, it was sold to Jon Thompson. Then, in 2021, Bob Carlton purchased the balloon and sold it to us in September 2021. I got my first hot air balloon before I got my first car. Now, the balloon currently has about 200 hours total time on it. It’s an incredibly fun balloon to fly and can land nearly anywhere since it is so small. I often land on driveways and neighborhood streets to bring some excitement to homeowners’ mornings!
The story of how I named it started when everyone began asking me what my balloon’s name was, and I had no clue. So I began brainstorming and wanted something kind of silly. I got the balloon from Bob, hence “Bob”, and the balloon is quite small, so “Mini”. This name also fits because, for some reason, in elementary school, my friends and I were obsessed with naming everything Bob. We thought it was so funny, it always made us laugh. So it is also a nice homage back to my elementary days when everything seemed just as exciting as a balloon ride.
4. What advice do you have for someone who is thinking about becoming a pilot?
My advice is to stay determined and consistent no matter what, because it is worth it. Flight training can be filled with weather delays, maintenance delays, long checkride waits, the list goes on and on. It can be discouraging sometimes, but sticking with it is always worth it. Also, another tip I have is to keep reviewing your ground knowledge even if you’re not flying. Having that fresh in your mind makes flight training so much easier and faster.
5. What are you most looking forward to at this year’s balloon fiesta?
I am most looking forward to meeting other pilots. I enjoy talking to other pilots and hearing all their stories. I think you learn the most by listening to other people’s experiences. I’m also very excited for all the flying, of course!