Every hot air balloon rally — and Ravenna’s Balloon A-Fair is one one of them — is ruled by a balloonmeister: a person who coordinates all flight operations, working with a weather officer and a safety officer. The balloonmeister also communicates the flight mission to the balloonists.
Strasburg resident Paul Suttle is the newest balloonmeister of the Ravenna Balloon A-Fair, only the seventh in the fair’s 43-year history. Former balloonmeisters include Bill Lauro (1979-1985), Kurt McLaughlin (1986-1988), Denny Welser (1989-1991), Jerry Kelly (1992-1995), and Pete and Debbie Hawkins (1996-2021).
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