September 2012 Sequim Balloon Festival 9
Meet the Air Boss — safety is her job She has been described as “Peter Pan for adults,� and “as energetic as a basket of puppies.� Captain Crystal, Air Boss of the Sequim Balloon Festival, is dedicated to the safety of pilots, passengers and of all those who attend the festival. Captain Crystal, as Crystal Stout is known by everyone in the ballooning community, is a third-generation pilot who is respected for her perfect safety record. She has been flying for 27 years without incident or accident. In her role as Sequim Balloon Festival Air Boss, Captain Crystal has spent many hours becoming familiar with the Sequim area and weather to make certain that the balloonists have the best source for current and forecasted weather conditions. She is active in the American Meteorological Society and is currently working with the National Weather Service to install the North Olympic Peninsula’s first-of-its-kind weather station at Sequim Valley Airport. Frequent pilot briefings throughout the festival ensure that the Air Boss and the pilots are aware of weather conditions, landing site updates from landowners and any other factors to ensure safety for all. Captain Crystal recognizes the contributions of the many farms in this area. She is respectful of crops and livestock and works closely with the landowners to get agreement for possible landing areas in each farm. This information is contained in a comprehensive map which will be carried in every balloon. During the Hare and Hound Race on Monday
Captain Crystal conducts a preflight check.
morning, Captain Crystal will pilot the Hare balloon. Her job is to fly to a landing spot ahead of the other balloons to leave a marker on that site. The hound balloons then maneuver to that site and drop their own markers. The hound marker nearest the hare marker is the winner. Chief Pilot and CEO of Morning Star Balloon
Company, her own balloon company, Captain Crystal has organized or competed in balloon festivals across the globe. She has organized hot air balloon events in conjunction with PPG/CART Indy racing in 10 cities around the U.S., Portugal, Japan, New Zealand and Puerto Rico. Throughout her flying career, Captain Crystal has experienced nearly every aspect of aviation including piloting special shaped balloons, helicopters, planes, powered parachutes and one-person balloons. She is a third-generation balloonist — a rarity. Her grandfather was crew on the 1935 Stratospheric Balloon Launch from Rapid City, S.D., and her father is also a hot air balloon pilot. Captain Crystal shares her love of ballooning with her husband, Dr. Don Stout, a hot air balloon pilot and mobile physician. Crystal and Don are soon to be full-time residents of Sequim and plan to fly their hot air balloons in and around the Peninsula in the near future. Captain Crystal says, “We teach adults to play like children.� Follow the adventures of Captain Crystal and Morning Star Balloon Co. at www.nwplace.com. Please welcome your Sequim Balloon Festival Air Boss and feel free to call her anytime at 360-601-2433.
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1st annual Balloon Festival!
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