Welcome to Team USA ~ FlyGas.net. Pilots, Mark Sullivan and Cheri White are of hot air and gas balloonist. Sullivan is from Albuquerque, New Mexico and started flying balloons in 1982. White is from Austin, Texas and started flying in 1974. Both started in hot air and became very active in national and international competition. They continue to be fierce competitors. In 2002, Sullivan's co-pilot Sid Cutter retired so he recruited White to be his co-pilot for gas balloon races. He taught her to fly gas and her second flight was in the 2002 America's Challenge where they flew from Albuquerque to Homer, Georgia. They finished third in the race, flying for three days and nights

setting a duration record for the Challenge of 67.25 hours. Since then, they have competed in many America Challenge races and four prestigious Coupe de Gordon Bennett races in Europe.

Sullivan is the current USA delegate to the FAI Ballooning Commission and on the Board of Directors of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Over their long careers, both have won numerous awards including the Montgolfier Diploma, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale’s highest award given

in the sport of ballooning.

Both have families very active in Ballooning. Their sons and White's niece have student pilot licenses and White's father, Sam Edwards is one of the oldest balloonists still actively flying in competitions. Both have flown various corporate programs over the years including the ongoing five year program for Warsteiner beer and the very successful twelve year program for Touchstone Energy Cooperatives.

Please enjoy learning about two of the most well known, accomplished balloon pilots in the world and follow them and their team in the upcoming races.