Bob Barbarick
A native of the Napa Valley, Bob started flying balloons in 1977. He has extensive knowledge of the art of ballooning, with over 5,500 hours of flying balloons. Whether it be riding the winds, scuba diving, flying his airplane, skiing or river rafting, Bob is a mild mannered adventurer. He works hard and is dedicated to keeping the balloon business safe, exciting and enjoyable for every passenger that flies with Balloons Above the Valley. His easy-going personality makes him your ideal guide when floating over the beautiful wine country.

 

 

 

Ferrel Gray
Outgoing and personable, Ferrel Gray, a ballooning veteran of 19 years, has dominated the skies not only in Napa but in the Palm Springs area. Ferrel says, "Ballooning is like therapy. It is the closest a person can be to floating like the clouds." The only sports that Ferrel has been doing longer than ballooning is snow skiing and weightlifting. A ski instructor while in college, he may be found powering down the slopes of Tahoe - or training for competitions. He is the 2002 & 2003 California State Bench Press Champion and California State record holder in the Bench Press for his weight and age class. Smiles and unforgettable memories for everyone who flies the skies with Ferrel!

 

 

Frank Jones
Frank originally started flying balloons in southern California in 1977. Over 4,000 hours of flying has not diminished his passion for flying; he particularly enjoys sharing this with first time passengers. Combining his love of ballooning with his insatiable appetite for travel, he has flown in 8 countries on 5 continents. He has also participated in many international balloon events as an official. Whether flying over vineyards, 400-year-old villages, dormant volcanoes, or herds of wildebeest, he still enjoys each and every flight. After flying, passengers enjoy countless stories of former balloon adventures. When not flying balloons you can find him riding his Harley Davidson through the hills and valleys of northern California. He has been riding motorcycles since the age of 16, but his first love is hot air ballooning.

 

JP Gagnon

J.P. has been with Balloons Above The Valley since 1999 when he moved to the Napa Valley to support his wife's dream of running a Bed and Breakfast. We love men that support their wife's dreams! He started his ballooning career in the Napa Valley and trained with some of the most experienced pilots available. J.P. is known as the "Jack of all trades" here at the company offering assistance in all areas of the business. In his off hours, J.P. can be found fishing anywhere he can. His smoked salmon is scrumptious!

 

 

Chuck Arreola
Born and raised in California, Capt. Chuck has flown over the entire state of California and found two of the most beautiful valley’s in the world, Napa and Sonoma.  Chuck became an Airline Transport Pilot while flying for Sierra Pacific Airlines with over 5000 hours of aircraft time. He has been flying balloons for 11 years and has over 1200 hours of flight time. Chuck loves to jog and took 1st place in his age category for the Dr. John L. McDonald “Reach/Rescue” 10K Run. In his free time Chuck sells “Real Estate” and gets to preview property from the air. Chuck loves to fly and takes his vacation each October at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Chuck's favorite saying "The only way to start the day, is get off the earth each morning."

 

 

John Philbert

John is a native of the Napa Valley and has been flying hot air balloons here since the early 1980's. John has a vast knowledge of Napa Valley history and has seen many changes over the years making him an excellent tour guide. He has also been in many movies and tv shows and is a member of the screen actors guild. In his spare time, John likes to build custom cars and ride his harley through the beautiful Napa Valley.