Editor's Note: Gordan Hall, a 1963 SSHS graduate, contacted the San Saba News & Star wishing to share with you this news about his recent award.
Gordon Hall, a native Texan that grew up in San Saba, was recently awarded in September 2023 the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) most prestigious award it issues to airman called the “Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.” It recognizes pilots who have exhibited exemplary aviation expertise, distinguished professionalism, and steadfast commitment for at least 50 years of safe piloting and aircraft operations. So far, he will only be the 13th balloonist to receive the award. Most of the other 12 balloonist got it by flying a combination of planes (fixed wing) and balloons (lighter than air), but Gordon did it by flying balloons only. He will be joining the other 12 balloonist now in a “display for eternity” at the National Balloon Museum in Indianola, Iowa.
Gordon is currently living in Eastern Washington State near Spokane. After graduating college from the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in Accounting, he then went on to get his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certificate shortly thereafter. He spent many years thereafter working for Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) Oil Company in Dallas, Texas, then California and later Alaska. Later in his oil career, ARCO downsized their workforce that included him, so he started working for various international oil employers in Russia and then Kazakhstan before finally retiring in Washington State after meeting his future wife there.
However, early on in his work career in 1972 after getting out of college, his roommate got him to join him in learning to fly hot air balloons in Plano, Texas, as a source of additional income. At the time, there were less than five balloonists (actually called Aeronauts) in Texas! Since then, he has been an active participant in hot air ballooning, at all levels, now for over the past 50 years! Back on May 11th 2013, he was presented, in front of his ballooning peers at the famous Walla Walla, WA balloon event, the coveted Balloon Federation of America (BFA) “Ed Yost Master Pilot” for his, then, 40 plus years of safe ballooning and conducting himself in way that exemplified the sport! At the time, he was one of the first few BFA’s pilots ever to receive this award too.
Over his many years flying, Gordon has provided flight instruction for many students, did commercial rides, and did commercial advertising through-out at lot of the continental United States, and Alaska, where he resided and flew for several years too. Gordon has worked with some of the major corporations and organizations like Baskin Robbins, Pizza Hut, Justin Boots, Paramount Studios, Miss Teenage America Pageant, doing commercial promotions which involved balloon free flights advertising promotions, and tethers. He also did Hollywood stunt work in the acclaimed Hollywood movie “Rat Race” using his balloon.
Gordon has also flown internationally in balloon competitions and rallies in such places as Canada, Brazil, Mexico and France. Gordon has competed in and has successfully won many balloon competitions. He was the 1st State of Texas Champion, after having his licenses for only six months, and was presented his trophy by the famous Hollywood star, Slim Pickens! He is also one of the former winners of The Great Reno Balloon Race where he was a continuous participant for 25 straight years!
His love for the sport is evidenced by the intensity of his continuous active involvement every year since that is now going on over five decades! He says his most enjoyable ballooning flight ever was flying over the buttes in Monument Valley, Arizona / Utah and his most harrowing flight was along the ocean on the California coast near Morro Bay, California, and his most sensational was a roof top heliport landing on a high rise building in the downtown of a major USA city. Although, he is quick to admit that they were all enjoyable because no two flights are ever the same because of weather, location, flying directions and of course, people. He says his association with ballooning has yielded him many good friends and cherished memories which are all priceless. He recognizes that his continued practice of good safety habits, flying quality equipment, and staying constantly alert of your surroundings at all times can help any balloonist to maybe become an old, long-time balloonist, like him, ha! Gordon now continues to be the chief pilot for his ballooning company, Lone Star Balloon Port.