Balloon on the loose: Hot air balloon stolen from Calgary man’s home

Aerial views of the Alberta countryside are on hold for Del Michaud for right now, after he says someone made off with his hot air balloon.

Michaud says he’d just returned from vacation on Tuesday night and when he checked, the trailer storing his hot air balloon was still in the alley behind his southwest Calgary home. The next morning, he says it was gone.

“The risk is somebody might just say, ‘Oh this would be kind of neat… and let’s take it out to the country and try to fly it,’” the sport balloonist said Friday.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The risk is somebody might just say, 'Oh this would be kind of neat… and let's take it out to the country and try to fly it,'" the sport balloonist said Friday.

“They’re in danger and also — people on the ground are in danger.”

Michaud said the lock on the tongue of the plain, black trailer — which holds the balloon basket, fan, burner and balloon itself — had been cut. The trailer measures five feet by eight feet.

“I think in most cases the thieves that take them either want the trailer and/or what’s inside of it, and they’re hoping they’re going to have a find inside.”

Michaud says he has reported the theft to Calgary police as well as Transport Canada, as balloonists are regulated by federal laws. Calgary police confirm they are investigating the theft.

“If anyone thinks they can sell it, they’re pretty foolish, because they will get caught,” he said, adding any aircraft needs to be licensed and registered in order for it to be sold.

He said balloonists go through extensive training to learn how to properly fly and there are many factors to be considered before taking off.

“If you have seen a balloon up close and seen people inflate it and take off and fly it, you might think to yourself, ‘Gee I can do that,'” he said.

“But you have to be trained to fly a balloon — you have to have a balloon licence and know about the weather.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "But you have to be trained to fly a balloon — you have to have a balloon licence and know about the weather."

The theft means Michaud is currently unable to work. A retired hot air balloon competitor, he also teaches new balloonists as a licensed instructor and needs the balloon for training.

Michaud is hoping the thief only wanted the trailer and that they might dump the hot air balloon and its supplies somewhere he can find it.

He said it would cost him about $15,000 to replace the stolen items and estimated purchasing a new balloon would cost about double that amount.