We are THE Premier Hot Air Ballooning Competition Club
Top Gun was founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico the hot air balloon capital of the World. The club was incorporated in 1987 as a 501 (c) 3 educational organization with the purpose of helping balloon pilots improve their skills through education and the sport of friendly competition. The club organizes and hosts educational seminars, schools, and competitive balloon flights to help safely improve the pilot’s skills necessary to be better pilots. Club flights are always educational and provide friendships between pilots who are interested in this aspect of the Sport. The club also promotes hot air ballooning in general.
We have monthly competitions where our Top Gun Pilots fly with each other for the monthly Top Gun title and ultimately the club championship.
Board of Directors 2024
President
Elisa Talbert, president@topgunballooning.org
Vice President
Jeff Ashworth, jashworth@topgunballooning.org
Secretary
Jeff Duff, jduff@topgunballooning.org
Treasurer
Dave Bagley, dbagley@topgunballooning.org
Directors
Shane Shipman | sshipman@topgunballooning.org
Rebecca Desantis | rdesantis@topgunballooning.org
Natasha Stanke | nstanke@topgunballooning.org
Trent Caldwell | tcaldwell@topgunballooning.org
Eric Greenwood | egreenwood@topgunballooning.org
Top Gun Founders
Top Gun Lifetime Members
We would like to recognize our Lifetime Members who have generously supported Top Gun not just financially, but also by their contributions of time and effort as present and former Club Officers, Board Members, and Support Staff.