9-Year-Old Glides Into Ballooning Record Books

June 7, 2011 — Most 9-year-olds like playing Nintendo DS or Xbox, or maybe basketball or soccer. But Bobby Bradley isn’t like most 9-year-olds. He proved that last weekend by becoming the youngest person to fly solo in a balloon, ABC News reported. After taking off at dawn on Saturday in Tome, New Mexico, the 9-year-old Albuquerque boy landed safely after about 26 minutes in the air. "It was awesome,” Bobby told the Associated Press when he was back on the ground. “It was amazing. I loved it.” Three other balloonists joined him in flight, while a crowd of about 50 cheered him on from the ground. Bobby already has 30 hours of flight experience with his mother and father, Troy and Tami Bradley, who are licensed balloonists. He wears a harness and helmet while ballooning, and he prepared for the solo flight by practicing with the balloon tethered to the ground or to a truck. "This was his idea," said Tami Bradley in an interview with ABC News. "He started taking control of the burner when he was 4 years old." Under FAA regulations, children can’t fly a full-size balloon until they are 14. However, Bobby’s balloon, made by his father and grandfather and called the Heavenly Dream, isn’t considered a full-size balloon as it weighs less than 150 pounds. Since the balloon is classified as an ultralight, there is no minimum age requirement for solo flight. "He's got ballooning in his blood," said Troy Bradley, who helped fly the first balloon from North America to Africa and holds 58 world records in ballooning. "He's heard us talking about it and has been in balloons his entire life." Bobby told UPI that he knew he was ready to solo. “I had all my equipment. I just wanted to go up.” After the flight, the Bradleys celebrated by reciting the balloonist's prayer, a tradition for first-time fliers, and toasted the occasion with sparkling cider, a substitute for champagne, and silly string, KRQE-TV reported.

Bobby Bradley, 9, of Albuquerque, N.M., is all smiles after landing his hot air balloon following a 26-minute solo flight near Tome, N.M. on June 4, 2011. Greg Sorber/The Albuquerque Journal/AP Photo Bobby Bradley’s balloon is classified as an ultralight so he didn’t have to follow any age requirements. AP Photo Bobby Bradley smiles for the cameras as his balloon rises. Photo credit: ABC News

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