Prominent Women Pilots in Champaign
There are several local women hot-air balloon pilots mentioned in the Daily Illini, the News-Gazette, and The Prospectus.
Andrea Schmidt
Landmark Aloft, a hot air balloon business once located at 8 K-Mart Plaza, was run by Andrea Schmidt and her husband, Martin, in the 1980s. According to a 1983 Daily Illini article, Landmark Aloft offered manned hot-air balloon flights for private and commercial use in Champaign. Andrea piloted the balloons and introduced Martin into the business. They provided rides to anyone who "could scrape together the courage and money to go up." The rides cost $150 per hour in the air. (The Daily Illini, February 25, 1983)
Alice Fletcher
Alice Fletcher's interest was peaked when her daughter, Mary Lynn, asked her to come to the Champaign Park District's balloon seminar in the summer of 1975. "That was it," Mrs. Fletcher said. "The first time I went up in the balloon, it felt like I was getting rid of all the chains here." (Courier, July 3, 1976). Alice Fletcher became involved in the hot air balloon community by doing crew work for local balloons, such as Tom Gabel and The Flying Tomato Brothers. Alice's crew jobs involved preparing the balloons for takeoff and chasing behind them to assist in landing. A mother of 3, Alice had wanted to be a pilot since the age of 9 and finally found the opportunity to fly 30 years later.
Kathy Reineke
In 1999, Champaign's Kathy Reineke secured a second-place win in the first-ever National Hot Air Balloon Women's Competition. The competition was part of the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championships held at the Rantoul Airport. In the competition, she flew her "Sunsational" balloon, a bright yellow balloon with a yellow middle, complimented by sections of colorful vertical stripes. This winning balloon has since been displayed at events such as the 1999 S.O.A.R. Festival at Parkland College.
In addition to the 1999 Championships, Kathy is a two-time winner of the Macomb Balloon Rally, Terre Haute Balloon Champion (1998), and a top ten finisher in several balloon races throughout the Midwest.
Kathy's piloting career started when she obtained her hot-air balloon pilot's license in 1983, and for the Reineke family, hot-air ballooning is a family sport. Kathy's interest in piloting arose while 'crewing' for her husband, Dave Reineke's balloon. The Reineke balloons are crewed by family and friends, including their two daughters, Kyla, 19, and Kari, 15.
The couple compete in several events across the country including the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Dave and Kathy combined have over 1,000 hours of flying experienc. As of November 2023, Kathy serves as a co-secretary for the Balloon Association of Greater Illinois and continues to fly with her husband and daughters.
Check out some of the Reineke's balloons below!
