Ordinary life on the ground never cut if for Mike Woodford, Dwight Cramer and Jim Spaller. Each of them have their heads in the clouds and feel the most free and exhilarated while flying. If you look up over the Central New York skies, you may catch them in their element.
Mike Woodford lands his plane at Cortland County Airport, New York.
Mike Woodford flies his plane over Cortland County, New York.
Mike Woodford still enjoys flying just as much as he did when he started 29 years ago. “Flying is like having an addiction, if I go too long without flying I start to get an itch.”
Mike Woodford lands his plane at Courtland County Airport.
Mike Woodford descends into Cortland Count Airport.
Mike Woodford has been a pilot for 29 year and says each flight is special. “When you fly there is something inside you that make you feel like you’re performing magic.”
Mike Woodford has been a pilot for 29 year and says each flight is special. “When you fly there is something inside you that make you feel like you’re performing magic.”
Dwight Cramer, the owner of Airborne Adventures Ballooing, Inc., has been facinated by the sky since elementary school. His dreams came to fruition in 1999 when he earned his FAA private pilot certificate. Now, almost 20 years later, you can still often find him escaping to the skies over Onedia, New York no matter how cold. “I am most commonly known as ‘the Balloon Guy,’ I love having a profession that allows me to connect with people by simply floating over.”
Cramer says ballooning defines him, and it is how he expects to be remembered.
One of the many things Cramer loves about ballooning is the emotional response it evokes from people. “A hot air balloon brings out the best in people. It makes them smile and feel happy. It makes them romantic, it brings out the wonder in children. “
Despite being thousands of feet off the ground, balloon riders can hear every little sound from the ground—birds, crickets, running water, rustling leaves, dogs barking and roosters crowing.
Compared to other types of aircraft, balloons moves relatively slow at the lower altitudes. “The slow speeds allow lots of time to soak up the view.” Cramer said.
Althugh the balloon only needs one pilot, it takes at least two crew members to chase the balloon upon landing and drag it to the nearest road. “I am blessed to be able to bring joy, hope, wonder and excitement to so many, while doing something I enjoy so much,” Cramer said.
Jim Spaller, the own of 7:47 Aviation Inc., has over 18,000 hours of flight. He earned most of those hours giving flight instruction full time over the last 18 years. He has flown over 50 different
makes and models of aircraft and has flown with over one thousand customers. “Flying is fun, challenging and extremely rewarding,” Spaller said. “It gives me a taste of freedom.”
Before becoming a civilian pilot instructor, Spaller served in the United States Army as an artillary officer and a helicopter pilot.
Despite flying 20 hours on average per week, Spaller says that flying never get old.
Flight instructing gives Spaller’s life purpose. He said the most rewarding part of flying is when someone who never believed they could fly a plane, completes their first solo flight. “I have almost a sense of responsibility—I’ve put myself in this position and I've invited people in to learn this skill and I feel responsible to keep going for them.”
