Pilots, or aeronauts, need licenses and are responsible for the balloons’ rise and descent, said Walt Rudy, Central Ohio Balloon Club president.
But as a whole, the number of those seeking to be pilots has decreased and of that number, more women are becoming pilots, he said.
“It’s probably one-fourth women and three-fourths men in piloting, for sure,” Rudy said.
One of the Ohio Challenge woman pilots agrees it’s a male dominated sport. Laurie Givin, co-owner of Gentle Breeze in Lebanon, said ballooning appealed to her because of its uniqueness. She’s been a pilot 24 years.
“A lot of the male pilots joke with the female pilots. I guess they want to see if we can hang in there. Most of them do it for jest though,” said Givin.
There’s always opportunities for women in the physically challenging sport, who must go through all the same requirements to become pilots. “So to me, it’s on a level playing field.”
Debby Young, the other Ohio Challenge female pilot, agreed.
“I think we compete up there with the boys,” said Young, who has been a pilot for 12 years and also is the world record-holder for female distance and duration.
Mindi Gliatti, crew chief and co-owner of Bella Balloons in Lebanon, said not everyone wants to be a pilot, and that it’s not uncommon to find married couples working together in the sport.
“I really don’t know why people don’t choose to be pilots,” she said, adding that “it’s been a male-dominated sport for years.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 205-2507 or clevingston@coxohio.com.
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