NBC
Member's Balloons
John Kugler - Flaming Wonder
John flies both hot air and gas balloons (including helium, hydrogen, and ammonia). John taught Steve Fossett how to fly gas balloons, and served as Fossett's Inflation Director on each of his solo round-the-world balloon attempts, including Fossett's successful flight in June 2002.
Asked where he most likes to fly, John said, "any place other than home. I take the scenery and terrain for granted, and people just aren't as excited as when a new balloon comes to town." John recounts his most memorable flight during the RE/Max Cup. "Flying into downtown Boston at 50 kts...staring at the ocean and Logan Airfield...rocky shores and mostly buildings...yikes after 63 hours aloft." You'll have to get John to tell you how it all came out.
In 2002, Kugler began the High Plains Freedom Flight, now held in conjunction with McCook Heritage Days.
John Kugler was inducted into the Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame on January 29, 2009.
Kugler, his brother Mike, and their late father Russ started flying hot air balloons locally in the late 1970's. Manned balloon flight dates to the American Civil War but was a rare event in Nebraska. Gary Sines, of Jefferson City, MO, the son of Kugler Oil Company employee John Sines, suggested to Russ that hot air ballooning could be an exciting pursuit for his adventurous sons and the rest is history. The pioneering Kuglers led in making it a colorful spectacular sport that we know today and John, rated as a Commercial Balloon Pilot and Instructor has made his mark in the sport the world around.
John competed in the International Coupe Gordon Bennett Gas balloon race and uncounted national and local ballooning meets. He's taught numerous people from around the United States fly hot air and gas balloons. Most notable of his students was the late Steve Fossett who went on to set numerous aviation world records, including the first solo round the world flight.
Kugler Company is a McCook-based regional farm fertilizer manufacturer, which led to Kugler's assistance in pioneering the use of Anhydrous Ammonia as a lifting gas for gas balloons. Anhydrous is a commonly used farm fertilizer and is much more economical than using helium or hydrogen gas.
Contact John at:
807 Spruce Rd.
McCook, NE 69001
jkugler@flynh3.com, or visit his website, www.flynh3.com
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