Locally owned hot air balloon company Rainbow Ryders is celebrating 40 years of operation in the Southwest this summer. With a fleet of 47 balloons across three states – Rainbow Ryders offers flights in Albuquerque, Colorado Springs and Phoenix – it is the largest hot air balloon business in the region, and founder Scott Appelman says business is better than ever.
“Everybody says, ‘Oh, you’ve worked so hard,’ but it doesn’t seem that way because I love what I do,” he says. “That’s the cool thing about this business… you get to meet a bazillion people from all different walks of life and it’s really cool to get to be part of that, whether I’m flying two people or 14 people up in the air.”
Appelman says his business blew up post-pandemic – sales have increased by nearly 300 percent. “When it opened up here [after COVID], our business went through the ceiling because it’s outdoor and I think a lot of us realized that we aren’t promised tomorrow,” he says. “If this is something that you want to do, why wait?”
In addition to people of all ages seeking out bucket-list experiences, Rainbow Ryders has made a name for itself by going above and beyond for its customers. “We answer the phone seven days a week, 14 hours a day. We want them to feel secure,” he says. “We have the highest safety standards, way higher than what the FAA requires. We want them to know that we’re going to make decisions based upon their safety as well as their enjoyment and memories.”
Though the majority of reservations are made online, Appelman says it’s important to have staff available to answer customer questions over the phone – even on holidays. “I think that’s been a great competitive edge for us,” he says. “If you can talk to a person now, you’re going to make the decision versus waiting for somebody who may or may not call you back.”
Appelman grew up in New Mexico, where he went to the first Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in 1971. After obtaining his pilot license, he started Rainbow Ryders in 1983 with a single two-person balloon. Rainbow Ryders is now the official hot air balloon ride provider at the Balloon Fiesta and has 110 employees and more than 40 balloons that can accommodate up to 16 passengers. “I think the biggest thing for myself and our team here is that we really enjoy helping people check things off their bucket list and being part of those memories for the people who get to go out and experience their first balloon ride,” he says.
Over the past four decades, Appelman says he has seen it all – marriage proposals, memorable surprises and meaningful reunions. “Proposals, anniversaries, I’ve flown people that have dropped ashes of passed family members and loved ones,” he says. “Bachelor and bachelorette parties have blown up here. We do weddings up there.”
Appelman says the balloon serves as a vehicle to commemorate various parts of people’s lives. “You’re part of this intimate part of somebody’s future,” he says. “That’s a privilege.”
The majority of Rainbow Ryders’ flights are shared rides, which Appelman says has helped facilitate life-long friendships. “Somebody from Georgia is talking to somebody from Oregon and next thing you know, they’re going to breakfast together,” he says. “They have a glass or two of Champagne and all of a sudden, they’re best friends.”
A Champagne toast after a hot air balloon ride is a long-standing tradition stemming from the first few flights in the 18th century. Passengers would bring a bottle of Champagne on board and use it as a peace offering for the farmers whose fields they landed in. Since then, hot air balloon rides have historically concluded with a glass of Champagne and the recitation of the Balloonist’s Prayer, which gives thanks for a safe flight and landing.
During the summer, Rainbow Ryders offers a daily sunrise flight. (Don’t worry – the 4:15 a.m. call time is well worth it.) With more than 300 days of sunshine, the Sonoran Desert is especially conducive to safe flying conditions. Dawn is the best time to take flight due to the absence of thermals – uneven heating of the earth’s surface often called “dust devils” – that typically happen two to three hours after the sun comes up. “You don’t want to be caught in a thermal in a balloon,” Appelman advises.
Part of a hot air balloon pilot’s job is reassuring flyers who have a fear of heights or small spaces. Appelman maintains that it’s statistically safer to fly in a hot air balloon than to drive to the gas station around the corner. “When people are nervous about the altitude, we tell them to look straight out,” he says. “Within five minutes, everybody’s good.”
A typical Rainbow Ryders flight goes up to nearly 5,000 feet above the ground – high enough to see the Bradshaw Mountains in Flagstaff across the horizon. Riders will also be blown away by how big the balloons are in person.
Rainbow Ryders believes every day is a reason to celebrate. On National Hot Air Balloon Day last Monday, the company offered a promo for its sunrise flights. Stay tuned for more fun deals. “We try to acknowledge special occasions from the time people show up here to the time that they leave,” Appelman says.
715 E. Covey Ln., Phoenix, 480-299-0154, rainbowryders.com
