Meet the Chase Crew
The Chase Crew consists of 3- 5 members for each flight depending on services and number of attendees.
The Chase Crew is responsible for more than just chasing the balloon during the flight.
On arrival at the launch site, the crew assists the pilot in assembling the hot air balloon. This includes laying it out for inflation, holding the envelope open while a large fan fills it with cold air, securing the crown on the top of the balloon, and holding the crown line to steady the balloon from rolling side to side.
Once the balloon is airborne, the crew packs up all the support equipment used to launch the balloon and begins the chase!
When landing, the crew performs one of their most important tasks of the entire flight, getting permission from the landowner. Once permission is given the crew assists the pilot in landing the aircraft for deflation. The crew deflates the envelope while simultaneously preparing to pack the envelope. The entirety of the balloon is then disassembled and packed back into the trailer. Then the crew returns to the field with passengers and pilot to perform our ceremony!
Tristan MacLean
Commercial Pilot
Born and raised in Albuquerque, NM, Tristan has been a crew member at Balloon Fiesta since 2006. He became a student pilot in late 2016 and earned his Private Pilot's license in December 2017. As of July 2019, Tristan earned his Commercial Pilot Rating. During the 2021 Balloon Fiesta he was the sponsored Commercial Primary Pilot with Exxon Mobil.
Tristan is quite the morning person with enthusiasm and charisma! You will definitely need your coffee to keep up if you plan to get in a balloon with him! He is dedicated to making each flight a lifelong memorable experience for each and every one of our clients.
Tanner Modisette
Crew Chief
Tanner has been ballooning for all of his 27 years of life and continues to grow his passion everyday that he works with balloons. His father has been crewing at Balloon Fiesta for as long as he can remember and brought Tanner along from the start. At Balloon Fiesta he drives the Firetruck chase vehicle for the Aire Marc Balloon Crew.
Today, ballooning is one of his favorite hobbies, along with boating and riding dirt bikes. With the help of the Always Time to Fly Crew, Tanner has been able to take the unique experience of ballooning and explore his interest further. He has also begun pursuing his private pilot license for hot air balloons.
Keith Kniffin
Crew Chief
Keith joined the Always Time to Fly ballooning team in 2019 and quickly gained the passion and desire to learn more. Keith’s attitude and humor bring a light to our crew like none other! He is quick to learn and will always be a friendly face around the balloon and is happy to answer any questions you may have!
When Keith is not crewing he is throwing bales of hay for his own company or enjoying his time at the lake with his family while exploring many new areas of the mountains camping with his dog Atlas!
Sammy Greenwald
Crew Chief
Sammy became apart of the ballooning world as a chase crew member in of January 2018. It did not take long for her to fall in love with the sport and the way it brings people together. Ballooning finds you when you least expect it and gives you family that you didn't know you needed. It is a life-changing sport.
Sammy has recently begun working at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta as the Navigator Manager. She is always looking for volunteers to join her team! Sammy spends most of her down time studying for her BA in Psychology. In her free time she enjoys being an aunt to her 10 nieces and nephews, dancing, road trips, and spending time with friends and family from New Mexico to Colorado.
Abby Altman
Crew Member
Abby began crewing for Time Flies hot air balloon during the 2019 International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She really enjoys the experience and the friendships she acquired from ballooning. She’s made it a family affair, bringing others to learn the sport and participate it crewing whenever she can. She enjoys sharing this sport with others.
She is studying BioChem at New Mexico Tech and drives up back to Albuquerque on the weekends to balloon! Her greatest love is art.
Austin Munz
Crew Member
Austin was invited by Tanner to crew at the Balloon fiesta in 2016 and he instantly fell in love with the sport. He has been crewing for a few different crews since then, but fell in love with the family-oriented Always Time to Fly crew in 2019. Ever since he has been out every weekend with us! You’ll most often find him keeping us secure by steadying the crown line.
Austin graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering at New Mexico Tech and now works for an engineering firm in Phoenix, AZ. He often drives back to Albuquerque on the weekends to balloon! He loves working on cars, golf, and everything that has to do with the outdoors!
Ethan Collins
Crew Member
Ethan joined us in 2020 during Covid and has come to enjoy learning about the balloon and traveling with us! If you thought we only had one class clown, think again. Ethan brings a sense of humor to the crew while being available and ready whenever needed.
During the day you will see Ethan working for TLC and acheiving his journeyman license. He has been working in HVAC since he was just 18 years old and has gained more experience than some experience by the time they are 30! Ethan also loves cars and owns a 2011 Ford Mustang.
Brianna & Dominic Quidang
Marketing Chief & Crew Member
Brianna & Dominic are Arizona Transplants and have been in Albuquerque since 2020. Since being introduced to ballooning, Dominic has found his passion for the skies, dreaming of one day becoming a pilot himself but currently settles for being the teams Jr. Crew Chief (so he thinks) for now!
Thanks to Dominic’s love and passion for flying, Brianna has found her love for the sport and enjoys the camaraderie and lifelong friendships they have made since being a part of the crew. Dominic is in 3rd grade and enjoys learning about space, aviation and monster trucks. Brianna works in marketing and enjoys photography in her spare time, but her favorite part of life is being Dominic’s mom and watching his face fill with joy when he is around hot air balloons!
Sam Aumack
Crew Member
Sam is a new addition to the crewing side of ballooning but has helped for many years at Balloon Fiesta serving food to the patrons of the early morning rushes! She has quickly picked up her skills and has been a great addition to the Always Time to Fly team.
Sam currently resides in Los Alamos, NM but will often trek down to Albuquerque to crew and spend time with friends! She spends her downtime working out or spending time with her family.
Niko & Azulu
Ballooning Mascots
They are always ready to greet you with a kiss and a hug.
Become a chase crew volunteer.
Joining our team of volunteers can be a fun and addictive proposition. Crew members will occasionally travel to balloon festivals to crew at unique events where anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred balloons may be launching off. It is truly a sight to behold.
There are lifting requirements of 50 lbs for all volunteers.