COE Aviation Student is Hot Air Balloon Champion

Nick Donner, COE aviation sciences major, will be competing in the 17th FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship in November in Toshigi, Japan. This will be Donner’s third world championship competition.

“I’m pretty nervous even though I have won this competition in Japan twice before,” he said. “My current ranking in the World is 12th, that only changes every two years and has not been updated since our last World Championship in 2004. Just by competing in this World Championship my ranking will go up. “

Nick Donner was the youngest Kentuckian to solo in a hot-air balloon I n1998 when he was14 years old.  In 2001, at the age of 17, he was the youngest person to win the Balloon Federation of America's National Competition. Being the youngest national champion ever, he was named the 2001 Rookie of the year. He is the current United States National Champion and won National Championships in 2003.

Throughout 2005 and 2006, Donner has been ranked number one in the United States.  He won the 2005 Russian National competition and was the 2005 pre-world champion at the Motegi International Balloon Festival in Japan. Since September of 2005 Nick has not placed outside the top 3 at any competition and looks forward to continuing that at worlds.

In 2006, Donner was named as the 4th member the U.S. Team selected for World Championships.

While currently competing, Donner is taking 18 hours in college and working two jobs. He is a flight instructor with the COE aviation program.

Donner has also placed first in many state competitions. 

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Last Updated Thursday, October 26, 2006