Alan Paul is pilot of Cloud Hopper II.  A native of Wakefield, NE, Alan is originator of the Wakefield Hot Air Balloon Festival

He began flying balloons in 1982.  During a first-flight opportunity with Doug Adam in North Sioux City, SD, Alan became hooked.  That's all it took!  A few weeks later, he bought his first balloon, Cloud Hopper I, a Raven Rally II AX-6 sport balloon (56,400 cu. ft.).  Then it happened again twenty years later.  During a weekend Ground School in Carlisle, IA, a Cameron AX-7 (77,500 cu. ft.) promotional balloon was fully inflated for Alan to satisfy his curiosity of the color scheme.  That's all it took!  He bought Cloud Hopper II, a few weeks later.  Alan says, "there is a lot to be said for history repeating itself every 20 years with impulse buying."

The Cloud Hopper name is not a vision of balloons jumping about on clouds, but is instead mindful of the word clodhopper (a plowman) whose support is integral in providing places for balloons to land.

Alan sees one aspect of ballooning as a mini-study in human behavior.  "I see the pure joy, awe, laughter, and smiles stuck on the faces of kids.  Some adults rediscover emotions that they have not experienced since being a teenager."  And for some of the older folks?  Alan says, "Well, they just act like kids again."

Alan currently resides in Glenwood, IA and is pursuing his Commercial Pilot certificate.  His son, Alex (17) of Sidney, IA, is a Student Pilot pursuing his Private Pilot Certificate and is hot-on-the-heels of his air-loving father.  Both are competing for "burner-time" (in-flight instruction).

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Last updated 6:39 PM 4/7/2008.   Contact webmaster with questions or comments about this site.