Balloonists Go To College At Simpson
By Nick Lamberto
Sixteen Simpson College students are studying ballooning and will receive 3 ½ hours of credits after completing the concentrated course. Rich McClintic, 49, assistant professor of economics and director of financial aid at the Indianola college, teaches the classes. The ballooning students attend classes from 9-11 a.m. daily, Monday through Friday. The classes started Jan 13 and will end Feb 7. “It’s what we call an interim course,” McClintic explained. “At Simpson, we have a four-month semester, then a month of interim study (January) and then another four month semester. “A student asked that a course in ballooning be included in the interim program, and it was approved by the proper committee.” McClintic and his wife, Patricia, and their daughter, Susan, 21, all are amateur balloonists. The National Hot Air Balloon championships have been held annually on the Simpson campus since 1970.
“Basically, the balloon course is ground school.” McClintic said. “After completing the course the students should be able to pass the written test to qualify for a balloon license. “To get an FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) license they still would have to have about eight hours of flight instruction and pass a flight test with an FAA examiner. “We are trying to get at least one familiarization balloon ride for each student. We study balloon terminology, structure and technique and also weather.” “The cost for the students, above regular tuition, is $41.35 for the familiarization flight and the books used.” McClintic said few, if any of the 14 men and two women taking the course have been absent during the class periods so far. “The are all interested and attentive,” he said. “They pay closer attention than most students do and they’re excited about ballooning.” Phil Gray, 30, a professional balloonist from Indianola, is helping McClintic with the course and will conduct the familiarization flights when the weather is suitable. During the first week of classes the students met for one session in the basement of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Indianola. “It was the only place big enough to unfurl two balloons inside,” McClintic said.
Newspaper article (source not listed) copied from a binder entitled “Balloons” at the Warren County Historical Society, Indianola, Iowa. |
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