BelleStar - LTA Aviation

BelleStar - LTA Aviation has been formed to provide a variety of high quality services directly involved with Hot Air Balloons and Lighter Than Air Aviation.

We fly BelleStar and Out of the Blue at many events and festivals world wide in support of sponsors and events.

We support K-12 Educational Programs focused on introducing students to aviation with a direct and personal approach.

Through our Corporate Balloon services we provide corporations with enhanced visibility in their product promotion, publicity and entertainment events.

More information about each of these activities can be found by going to the tabs found at the left side of this screen.

The other pages on this site are devoted to the "fun" side of ballooning that we enjoy with our sport balloons, BelleStar and Out of the Blue. BelleStar and Out of the Blue are both Aerostar RX8 aircraft. Patriot is a Balloon Works/FireFly 8B-15.  All are  registered with the FAA. Yes, balloons are aircraft.  The FAA governs the aircraft, the pilots and the flights we conduct.

We do not sell general public "balloon rides" in and recommend that you contact Morning Star Balloons for a wonderful experience in their large passenger ride balloons.

For those individuals that are seeking a private ride experience for 2 people we do lease BelleStar, pilot and crew at the rate of $600/hr plus travel expenses.  Contact Kent Barnes for further information as to availability and scheduling.

A fixed wing pilot since his college days (let’s not ask how long ago that was), Kent has been enjoying flying hot air balloons since his initial lighter than air flight that came about as the solution to a mid-life crisis. Within six weeks of his first flight in a balloon, he purchased BelleStar his first balloon and completed the requirements to earn a FAA commercial pilot certificate.

Kent has had the opportunity to travel and fly at locations and events across the western United States, as well many international events in the Middle East as well as South and Central America. Kent’s favorite areas to fly are the mountains of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming as well as the red rock country of Arizona, New Mexico and of course Utah. However, the pyramids of Mexico offer a spectacular experience from a hot air balloon that must be seen.

One of his greatest joys is to introduce the sport of hot air ballooning to people for their first time.  It is Kent’s desire to promote ballooning as a fun filled family activity to the general public and corporate America. 

Dee is the chief of many things for BelleStar and Out of the Blue.  As crew chief she is instrumental in making sure that all things for launches and retrevials are compete and safe.  As chief photographer she deserves credit for most, if not all, of the photos on the festivals pages.  If you find BelleStar or Out of the Blue at a festival or just flying in your area, your best opportunity to get one of our cards or pins is to trade one of yours with her. We love to get new pins to add to the collection.