Like Father, Like Son: Two Generations of RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon Pilots

Ryan Duff was only 10 months old when he took his first hot air balloon ride. The massive vessel stood seven stories tall and donned red, white, and blue. It had a wicker passenger basket at its base. And it read “RE/MAX” across the canvas envelope.

As a kid, when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, Ryan’s answer was always the same: a hot air balloon pilot. It’s understandable, because he spent his childhood accompanying his dad, Jeff, on countless balloon flights hundreds of feet into the air.

“People ask me what it was like to grow up ballooning as if it’s so crazy and different, but it was normal to me from day one,” says Ryan, noting that Jeff has been a commercial balloon pilot for over 30 years. “It was an activity we always did as a family. On any given weekend or holiday, we would all be heading out to go ballooning.”

As they say, “like father, like son.” Fast forward to the present-day, where 23-year-old Ryan is a seasoned commercial balloon pilot himself, with three years of experience under his belt.

Here’s a peek into Ryan and Jeff’s wonderful world of ballooning.

An elevated history

The Duff family has roots in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a city with a long-held reputation as a hot air balloon hotspot. The family was destined for a lifetime of ballooning from the moment in 1993 that Jeff met his future wife, Jenny, an avid ballooner herself. One of their first dates, in fact, was a hot air balloon ride.

Jeff started his ballooning career as a crew member for Troy Bradley, a longtime commercial balloon pilot who often pilots RE/MAX hot air balloon flights.

“As soon as I was licensed, I went up for my first solo ride. It was a local flight here in Albuquerque – and it was in a RE/MAX balloon,” Jeff recalls.

He spent decades flying the RE/MAX balloon for gatherings, festivals, passenger flights, and more. One of his most prominent annual flights took place at the famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, a major attraction where more than 500 hot air balloons join in a mass ascension event.

Jeff was able to pass down that honor at the 2023 Balloon Fiesta, where Ryan piloted the RE/MAX balloon. Jeff joined his son in the sky, flying parallel in his personal balloon.

“We don’t really get a chance to fly together much anymore because we live far apart. That’s why it was really special (and so much fun) to fly next to each other at the Balloon Fiesta last year,” Ryan shares. “I’m planning on flying the RE/MAX balloon at this year’s Balloon Fiesta, and I know my family will be right there with me – on the ground and in the air.”

Learning lessons on (and off) land

In addition to bringing the global real estate brand’s iconic symbol to life, the father-son duo has plenty of experience outside of the RE/MAX balloon, too. Ryan, for example, uses his smaller personal balloon for competitions where pilots are judged on their knowledge, skills, and niche ballooning abilities.

But no matter what size vessel Ryan or Jeff fly, they’re always ready to pivot plans for the most safe and effective flights based on factors out of their control. It’s made for the deep understanding of a very important life lesson – being adaptable.

“We like to fly when the air is very stable, which 90% of the time is in the early morning right after the sun comes up. We need to be adaptable because the winds change all the time and they can have an impact on our altitude and direction,” Jeff says. “Every time you go out and fly a balloon, you have to use your best judgment, be prepared for any circumstances, and be ready to adapt to whatever the environment throws your way.”

Patience is a constant practice for the pilots, too.

“A plane can fly during turbulent conditions, but a hot air balloon can’t. Greater than 10 knots or 10 miles per hour is often too fast fly a balloon. In addition to being ok changing your plans because of weather and wind, you also have to be extremely patient,” Ryan explains.

Though Ryan has had plenty of mentors in his ballooning journey, one stands out among the rest.

“My dad is the one who taught me to fly, and he was there to watch my very first flight,” Ryan says. “I’ve been mentored by many different pilots, but my dad has always been the most influential one – and the one who made such a big impact on me. Without him, I would not be flying balloons today.”

Ryan continues, “I’m very grateful that he’s changed my life through ballooning. My dad passed this passion down to me, and I hope to pass it on to my own kids someday, too.”

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