The 1970s

PHOTO: PAUL DEBERJEOIS OFFICIAL PROGRAM 37

of “Snoopy” and Bill, the “Red Baron”. The centerpiece would be a hot air balloon.

The party was a huge success and in the excitement of the moment (maybe fueled by a couple of beers?), promises were made to fl y the balloon soonest. Accordingly, the next morning at 6:30, Sid infl ated the balloon the way he had been taught when he picked it up at the Raven Industries factory, put his mom in the basket, and took her up with the balloon tied to the end of a 150 ft. tether rope as he acquainted himself with the use of the burner and balloon systems. Then Mom got out, brother Bill got in, and whether by design or by accident, the tether came loose, and the brothers launched from the parking lot of Cutter Flying Service. It was even legal, because Sid and Bill both had balloon ratings on their pilot licenses. In those days, if you had a fi xed-wing license, you could get a Lighter than Air (LTA) endorsement simply by asking for one, and the Cutters, mother and sons, had gotten theirs in the late 50s or early 60s. Later, when Sid was appointed an FAA Designated Examiner, he gave check rides to literally hundreds of pilots, certifying them for private and commercial balloon ratings.

There is a great story about one of the early fl ights. Sid and Bill would often launch from the family business at the airport. There was always plenty of crew because early-arriving employees would happily volunteer on their way into work. Joe Jackson, the general manager of Cutter Flying Service and heading up the chase crew that morning, took a look at the high-fl ying balloon and declared that they would be up for a while and the crew should go and have some breakfast. When they came out, the balloon was nowhere in sight. Hours later the Cutter duo were found enjoying brunch at a watering hole near 12th St. and Candelaria. They had landed safely in Albuquerque’s North Valley, packed up the balloon, and with no crew in sight, they walked to the nearest tavern to celebrate their fl ight. Those fl ights following the grand birthday party cemented following the grand birthday party cemented Sid’s lifelong love aff air with lighter than air. Sid’s lifelong love aff air with lighter than air. In November 1971 Sid convinced eight friends and associates to start a balloon friends and associates to start a balloon club; they named it the Albuquerque club; they named it the Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association. The buy-in fees bought them a share in a club balloon called Roadrunner with pilot training thrown in, a great deal that grew the sport in Albuquerque by making it possible for many of Albuquerque’s earliest pilots to aff ordably get started in ballooning. Not surprisingly, the balloon was a huge hit, attracting attention whenever

The party centerpiece (right) – and the centerpiece in fl ight (below).

CUTTER FAMILY PHOTO

PHOTO: DICK BROWN

In 1974: Tom Rutherford and Sid Cutter, center and right, with Wally Book.

Sid’s Right Hand, Tom Rutherford

In 1972, Albuquerque radio station KOB (now KKOB) wanted to celebrate its golden anniversary in grand style. The stories vary about who at KOB first approached Sid Cutter about bringing his balloon to the big event – some say it was the station’s general manager, Dick McKee, and others a young guy doing promotions for the station, Tom Rutherford.

What is certain is that Tom played a large role in bringing to fruition the balloon rally at Coronado Center which is now known as the first Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. What’s more, the experience changed Tom’s life. He became Sid’s close friend and partner in World Balloon Championships, the company Sid founded to conduct the First World Hot Air Balloon Championships. Over the years, the company evolved into one of the largest corporate balloon operators in the world, and Tom and his then-wife Linda (the Balloon Fiesta’s first Executive Director) became well-known as pilots of the Budweiser balloon.

Tom, a lawyer by training, later served 12 years as a New Mexico State Senator and two terms on the Bernalillo County Commission. He became a respected lobbyist in Santa Fe and a tireless advocate for ballooning, the Balloon Fiesta, and the Balloon Museum. To the public, as a TV commentator and (with Glen Moyer) event announcer for more than a quarter-century, he was the golden voice of the Balloon Fiesta. Tom retired from active involvement in the event several years ago due to ill health, but remains a fondly-remembered face and force in the Balloon Fiesta’s history. it flew. Among those taking notice were the folks at 770 KOB Radio who were looking for a way to promote the 50th anniversary of their station. They asked Sid for help with the idea, and together they brainstormed a plan for Sid and KOB radio to host a balloon race that, with 21 balloons, would be the largest balloon gathering ever held in the United States at the time. A storm in the Midwest prevented the shipment of some of the balloons, but 13 made it. The show, on April 8, 1972, attracted an estimated 10,000-20,000 spectators to the launch site on vacant land surrounding the Coronado Mall in northeast Albuquerque. In anticipation of a small attendance, the city police had provided only a couple of officers on horseback for crowd control! That race is now considered the first Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Already Sid was realizing the opportunities ballooning would offer up!

Sid went on to host the First World Hot Air Balloon Championship in February of 1973. Thirteen countries were represented by 38 balloons, with non-competing “Fiesta” fun flyers bringing the total number of balloons to 142. 1974 saw another Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in February. In 1975 (the year of two events) there was a Cloudbouncer Rally held in February, and the Second World Hot Air Balloon Championship was held in October with 170 balloons taking to the air in the even-better fall flying weather.

PHOTO: PAUL DEBERJEOIS

nce upon a time, until experiences

Olike this one made it clear it was a lousy idea, there were balloon races from the Bahamas to Florida. According to Sid, who told the story at a Balloon Fiesta Heritage

Committee meeting, the idea originated on a notentirely-sober night at a Budweiser distributorship in

Florida. At any rate, during one Florida. At any rate, during one of these races, Sid and his thengirlfriend Jewel Bickford (who later married him anyway) took off from Cat Cay, Bahamas, in the Jolly Roger. (We’re not kidding. You can’t make this stuff up.) When they had to put down in the ocean for lack of breeze, and then fuel, of these races, Sid and his thengirlfriend Jewel Bickford (who later married him anyway) took PHOTO BY BILL WALTON FLYNT before making land, there was a Coast Guard vessel nearby. The balloon basket stayed more or less buoyant because the empty tanks acted as fl oats. because the empty tanks acted as fl oats.

The envelope, however, fi lled with water and sank, so the balloon inverted. While Sid was contemplating what to do about getting the equipment to shore, the Coast Guard received an emergency call and told Jewel and Sid that they needed to board or stay behind. They chose to hitch a ride, rather than hang out near the Bermuda Triangle.

Later Sid rented a boat and made his way back to the balloon. They had to slit the balloon open in several places to allow the water to escape as they slowly pulled the balloon on board. They eventually got the craft back to Albuquerque, repaired it, and it fl ew for a few more years. (This story as told by Jewel

Cutter and Kim Vesely).

Jim Ahern worked for Sid at World Balloon from 1978-1985 as Operations Manager. Sid brought in the money, Sid’s vice-president Paul Woessner budgeted the money, and Jim spent it. He also did the hiring of pilots and scheduled the contracts, jobs, balloons and pilots.

he day after his wedding to Jewel in May

Tof 1980 in Las Vegas, Sid was taking part in a Kool Pro Tour hare and hound balloon race. Sid was zeroing in on the hare Kool Balloon. He came in high and was descending at a good clip with a good line on the target. As he brushed down the Kool Balloon, the basket of the Baby Busch balloon he was fl ying snagged the fl oating load tape of the side vent of the Kool balloon and inverted. Sid fell from above mid-balloon, 30 ft or so. Fortunately, he recovered from his broken ribs and other severe injuries.

In June of 1980, Jim landed the Bud balloon in an empty, fenced in, parking lot. They called the number on the locked gate and someone was sent to open the

Some of Sid’s Accomplishments and Awards:

• Founder of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta • Organized the First and Second World Hot Air Balloon

Championships • Founded the Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association (AAAA), the largest local balloon club in the world • Accumulated 18,000+ hours in airplanes and helicopters and more than 5,000 hours in hot air and gas balloons • Served in the U.S. Air Force and fl ew jets, large cargo aircraft and helicopters • Formed and operated World Balloon Corporation, running a repair station, and fl ying commercial balloons all over the world for a lengthy list of sponsors such as Anheuser Busch,

Kraft and Black Angus. • Federal Aviation Administration Designated Examiner; taught and certifi ed hundreds of balloon pilots • U.S. Hot Air Balloon Champion in 1978 and 1986 • Finished second in the World Hot Air Balloon Championships in 1979 • U.S. National Team Championship (with Mark Sullivan and

Troy Bradley), 1995 • Designed and built two of the world’s largest thermal airships for Anheuser Busch (larger than Goodyear’s gas airships at that time) • Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, awarded to pilots in all forms of aviation who have demonstrated professionalism, skill and aviation expertise by maintaining safe operations for 50 or more years. • Diplome Montgolfi er, ballooning’s highest award. • Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (World Air Sports

Federation) Hall of Fame • Albuquerque Sports Hall of Fame • New Mexico Tourism Hall of Fame • Balloon Federation of America Hall of Fame • Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Hall of Fame • 2002 Olympic Torchbearer representing Albuquerque and ballooning • 40th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in 2011 dedicated to Sid Cutter

As you can imagine, Sid’s friends have some great stories to tell, and as Sid sometimes put it, “some of them are true.” Here are some about Sid, the balloonist and the man, that his friends and family shared with us:

gate to let the Budweiser balloon out of what was, it turned out, the Coors plant.

Also, in 1980 following a change in the command structure of Iran, a group of militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran and took about 70 employees and delegates hostage. The US wanted them back, of course. Sid contracted with the US Army for some balloon training for one of the rescue scenarios that they envisioned. Sid put his Operations guy, Jim, in charge of the training. The trainees, Ron, Van and Jeff, we’ll call them, practiced assembling, inflating and taking-off within 5 minutes without an inflator. They used a variety of balloons for the initial training and trashed 3-4 balloons in the process. Towards the end of the training, they were using a larger, higher capacity black balloon (to lower their visibility) that had been commissioned by the Army. They were doing a no-lights training flight. Pilot Jim and two of the special ops “Delta Boys” as they

were sometimes called, were essentially flying blind. They knew there was a huge power line out there somewhere and were keeping their eyes peeled for it as they made an approach for landing on a very dark night. Then, during a burn, they saw the reflection of the fire bouncing off of the power lines. They had been venting hot air to initiate the descent but one of the trainees jumped out of the basket without warning, hit the ground, bounced and stood up as if nothing had happened. After losing weight, the balloon started back up so Jim opened the emergency descent panel just as the other trainee unexpectedly bailed out. He, also was unscathed by the fall. Jim rode the deflating balloon, now in contact with the power lines, down to the ground and somehow also managed to escape electrocution or injury. Much of the west side of town lost power and rumor has it that for a time power was out all the way up into Colorado. This was one of the strategies that the Army explored for retrieving the Iran hostages, and somehow this adventure never made the news cycle. Investigations were initiated by insurance companies and others (?), but never seemed to gain traction. The recovery plan, should this operation have ever gone into play, involved a helium balloon attached to the top of the escape balloon by a very long, strong cable. A specially equipped C-130 cargo aircraft with a “skyhook” was to snare the cable and haul the balloon and its passengers to safety. Can you say, James Bond and his lady Domino in Ian Fleming’s Thunderball?

As Operations Mgr., Jim got to choose the branding for World Balloon Corp uniforms. Sid was fond of the color blue, but, after considerable discussion, and much to Sid’s dismay, Jim chose orange as the predominant color because of its high visibility.

PHOTO BY PAUL DEBERJEOIS

A great love story – Sid and Jewel Cutter

PHOTO BY BILL WALTON FLYNT

Jim Ahern, Sid Cutter, and Paul Woessner, front, in their World Balloon orange uniforms

Paul Woessner, two-time hot-air balloon world champion, worked for Sid as Vice President of World Balloon Corp. from 1975-1981. He was hired after he made the first crossing of Lake Michigan in a hot air balloon. Paul told some of his Sid stories to Wally Book.

• One of Sid’s flights involved a contract with

Sandia Labs on Kirtland Air Force Base to repair

some cables 600 ft above ground level. They carried a tech aloft who left the balloon in a sort of boatswain’s chair and made repairs on some kind of hush hush cable system. (Maybe Sid needed to found another business? Sid’s Flying

Cable Repairs?) • Paul and Sid launched from the St Louis arch and enjoyed uneventful fl ights as part of the Kool Pro

Tours in 1978-1980. Some of these launches took place under the arch and, for eff ect, were fi lmed to look as though they fl ew through it. • After Paul won his second hot air balloon world championship, Sid and the Smithsonian arranged (with the proper permits) for a tether fl ight at the

D.C. mall near the Smithsonian to commemorate

Paul’s success. • Sid and Paul worked with Anheuser Bush on several epic fl ights for the movie Day of the

Balloons, produced in 1975-76 for the Busch

Gardens theme parks. Sid fl ew Sky Chariot with

Darryl Gunter from the bottom of the Grand

Canyon, on the Havasupai reservation. They landed on a ledge midway up the canyon wall and the balloon had to be helicoptered out. Another fl ight sequence for the movie took place in New

York City. It was a free fl ight from the east side of Manhattan, and was a quick, uneventful up and down. That fl ight was supplemented by an unauthorized tether at Lexington and Broadway.

They infl ated the balloon and “walked” it about a block to give the impression on camera of a free fl ight. The authorities showed up, but they requested and were granted, forgiveness, because in theory they didn’t actually fl y. • Part of the Kool Pro tour included a tether in

Central Park, where they were interviewed by "Good Morning America". • Sid and Jewel tethered the Westinghouse balloon in front of the twin [World Trade Center] towers. • Sid free-fl ew the original World Balloon over the Olympic Stadium in Lake Placid, NY during the opening ceremonies at the 1980

Winter Olympics. It wasn’t Sid’s only Olympic experience; he was a torchbearer for the 2002

Salt Lake City Olympic Games and took the torch aloft in a tethered balloon at an event at Balloon

Fiesta Park.

When Chris Cutter was invited to relate a favorite moment with his grandfather Sid, he responded with the following:

here’s not just one moment, but anytime

Twe landed and there were kids nearby, he (Sid) would always invite them to roll out the air from the balloon. Many times, he would join them in rolling down the length of the balloon to squeeze the air out. It always impressed me because ballooning was never about him or for him, but rather a way he could make others happy. That’s one thing that I think was really important to him, especially in his later years when he could just sit on the fi eld and enjoy Balloon Fiesta, watching how balloons made others happy. That’s something that really rubbed off on me when I got into ballooning, being an ambassador for the sport, and inviting the little ones to help with the defl ation, because, to them, helping with a balloon was something that they would remember for years to come.

me when I got into ballooning, being inviting the little ones to help with the defl ation, because, to them, helping

Sid’s propensity for nurturing the sport in youths is evident in these stories from former Balloon Fiesta president Ty Young. Balloon Fiesta president Ty Young. He now has one of the most complete collections of Balloon PHOTO: KIM VESELY Fiesta memorabilia anywhere, and Sid played a big role in getting it started:

fi rst met Sid when I was around 7 or 8 years

Iold. At the time, I had no idea who he was nor the important fi gure he was in the community. I was just starting to trade balloon pins and of course I approached him to see if I could get one of his pins of his very well-known World

Balloon. He had just completed a morning of fl ying at the Balloon Fiesta and was surrounded by many of his family, friends and crew. When I fi nally got the nerve to ask him if he would trade a pin with me, he stopped what he was doing and said, “follow me”. He took me into his chase truck and pulled out his stockpile of pins that made my eyes pop wide open. He reached into a bag and laid out a number of diff erent pins, most of which I had never seen before. He asked me what I was off ering and I showed him the only pin I had to trade. He then took the time to explain what all his diff erent pins were and the balloons they represented.

After he was done, he told me to pick out my favorite.

Of course, I picked out the one I was after…his wellknown World Balloon. After he asked me to make sure that was the one I wanted, he proceeded to gather up all the diff erent ones in his hand and give them all to me, saying “you’re going to need some extras to get your collection started”. I couldn’t believe my luck and, as the years went by, I always made a point to fi nd him and give him one of my new pins each year.

When I was 9 or 10 years old, one of my “must have” pins, was one that Sid Cutter was wearing.

Technically not a balloon pin, it was a pin of his famous Ambulance chase vehicle. I asked him from time to time if he would trade with me. Eventually, he pulled me inside his chase commander truck and said he’d trade something with me. He showed me what

Above: Balloon pins are among the most popular collectibles Below: Ty’s fi rst special gift from Sid: the original World Balloon pin

Mark Sullivan, champion hot air and gas balloonist, President of the FAI International Ballooning Commission, and Diplome Montgolfi er recipient

he was trading, and it was a pin I already had. Not wanting to be rude, I happily gave him my pin for a trade. He gave me the pin he had, but he also reached for another one. It was the ambulance pin complete with the trailer attachment. It’s one of my fondest memories of Balloon Fiesta and Sid. Sid was such a kind man. He didn’t care if you were a millionaire, down to your last dime, an old man in his dotage or a child as young as I. His kindness is what I will miss the most, but I’ll always have those pins as a reminder of when I fi rst met Sid Cutter.

Dick Brown, early Albuquerque balloonist, Dick Brown, early Albuquerque balloonist, Montgolfi er Diplome recipient, and former editor of Ballooning, the journal of the Balloon Federation of America. Excerpted from the 2011 Balloon Fiesta program:

y the fall of 1972, Sid was fl ying a

Bbig balloon portraying Warner Bros’ Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote cartoon characters. This balloon was awkward and sluggish, but that was nothing compared to the Coyote’s ludicrous contraptions from the ACME mail-order company. In those days, we were still learning how to fl y balloons and sometimes we burned the skirt to a crisp, not unlike the fateful Coyote being burned to a crisp when his elaborate plans to catch the ever-elusive Roadrunner failed. Sid made some hard landings in the balloon but nothing like the Coyote’s terminal descents and splats on the desert fl oor. Each fl ight became another win for our beloved state bird - the Roadrunner. Big balloons need big crews so we helped Sid with infl ation, chasing and packing up. In return, Sid gave us our very fi rst balloon ride over some of New Mexico’s spectacular landscape - scenes that closely resembled the cartoon background. Sid’s choice for this awesome balloon design was perfect.

Ballooning brought us together and memories keep us going. We will always treasure the great times with Sid. He changed our lives forever.

bought my fi rst balloon from Sid in January

I1983 and we became instant friends. Sid took me under his wing and we shared many great adventures together in the air, under the water and on the seas.

Throughout the 1980s and 90s we competed against each other in the local Top Gun events so we could qualify for the U.S.

National Championship.

Many years at the U.S.

Nationals we teamed up to increase our odds against the other competitors and in 1986 Sid won his second U.S National title.

In 1995 Sid, myself and Troy

Bradley teamed up and won the 1st U.S. National

Team Championship in

Gwinnett Georgia. Sid and I fl ew together in the

U.S. National Gas Balloon

Championship, took 4th in the 1990 World Gas Balloon

Championship in Tyndall,

SD and had two great fl ights in the American’s

Challenge Gas Balloon

Race. We caught tarpon, big mouth bass, fl y fi shed for trout and scuba dived some of the best spots in the world, always having great fun, many times laughing until our sides ached. Sid and Jewel were always the leaders in fi nding new and exciting things to do and I was truly honored to be included in so many of their adventures. If you are lucky you will fi nd a friend like Sid once in a lifetime and I am proud to have called Sid my best friend.

CUTTER FAMILY PHOTO Sid Cutter

socorronm.org Phone: (575)-835-8927

July 4, 1882

Professor Park Van Tassel makes the fi rst balloon fl ight in Albuquerque in a coal gas balloon. October 19, 1909

During the last of several gas balloon fl ights in the early 1900’s, Joseph Blondin and Roy Stamm launch from the New Mexico Territorial Fair and fl y over the Manzano Mountains. It is the last manned balloon fl ight in Albuquerque for more than 50 years. 1965

The fi rst modern hotair balloon comes to Albuquerque, one of a handful to appear in New Mexico in the next few years. June 5, 1971

Cutter Aviation holds a party to celebrate its anniversary and cofounder Virginia Cutter’s birthday. Son Sid Cutter acquires a hot-air balloon which is cold-infl ated in the hangar as a centerpiece.

1978

The Balloon Fiesta holds its fi rst Key Grab - now the Ring Toss - event (nobody won the car).

1978

The world’s fi rst Dawn Patrol fl ight takes place at Balloon Fiesta. More than 10 years later, Dawn Patrol becomes an offi cial part of the event. 1978

Albuquerque’s Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, and Larry Newman complete the fi rst crossing by balloon of the Atlantic Ocean. The fl ight makes headlines around the world and puts Albuquerque, and ballooning, on the map.

1979

On Christmas Eve, the fi rst large-scale nighttime balloon display (“balloon glow”) documented in the world is held in Albuquerque’s Country Club area in conjunction with the annual Luminaria Tour. 1976

Sid Cutter retires from managing the Balloon Fiesta to focus on his businesses; Mayor Kinney and local business leaders form Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Inc., a non-profi t corporation which produces the Balloon Fiesta to this day.

1980

Parachute demonstrations become part of Balloon Fiesta. Teams participating in various years include the Navy Leapfrogs, Army Golden Knights, the Misty Blues (an all-female team), and most recently, Team Fastrax. October 1975

The Second World Hot Air Balloon Championships and the Fourth Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta are held on a new site, Simms Field, northwest of Jeff erson and I-25.

1981

Development closes Simms Field, and the Balloon Fiesta moves north to Cutter Field (the current Vista del Norte housing development.) The fi rst air shows are held as post-morningfl ight events.

1882 1909 1972

November 1971

Sid Cutter and eight friends buy a balloon together and form the Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association (AAAA), today the world’s largest local balloon club. April 8, 1972

KOB radio, in celebration of its 50th anniversary, asks Sid Cutter to organize a balloon rally. Thirteen balloons participate in the “First Annual KOB Radio & Television International Balloon Festival,” now considered to be the fi rst Balloon Fiesta, at Coronado Center.

February 1975

While planning is underway for the Second World Championships, the AAAA holds a two-day balloon rally to maintain the presence of the Balloon Fiesta. This event is still held annually and is now known as the Friends and Lovers Balloon Rally. February 1974

The third Balloon Fiesta – by now known as the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® – is held. 1972

Balloon Federation of America President Don Kersten, one of the participants in the 1972 KOB event, invites Albuquerque to bid for the rights to hold the First World Hot Air Balloon Championships. February 10-17, 1973

Albuquerque hosts the First World Championships, along with an additional “Fiesta” rally for non-competing balloons, at the State Fairgrounds (now Expo New Mexico). More than 100 balloons participate in the two events.

February 17, 1973

Ed Yost, the inventor of the modern hotair balloon and the “Clerk of the Course” (chief offi cial) of the World Championships, makes an exhibition gas balloon fl ight, the fi rst in Albuquerque since 1909. February 10, 1973

The fi rst Balloon Fiesta Parade is held. Before the parades are discontinued in 1991, they become the biggest parades held in New Mexico.

1981

The fi rst Balloon Fiesta gas balloon race is held; these competitions, which focus on accuracy in fl ying to a target as opposed to distance, continue through the 1980’s. 1986

The Balloon Fiesta is on the move again, this time to the fi rst Balloon Fiesta Park located south of Alameda Blvd. (now the RV park). 1987

The fi rst Balloon Fiesta Balloon Glow celebrates the 75th anniversary of New Mexico statehood. These nighttime displays are now among the Balloon Fiesta’s most popular events 1989

Special shape balloons get their own showcase, the Special Shape Rodeo, held on Thursday and Friday of Balloon Fiesta week. The fi rst few Rodeos are afternoon competition fl ying events.

1973 1979 1982