CALIFORNIA CITY MAN SOARS WITH NATIONAL HONOR.Byline: Posted by Carol Rock valleynews.com Bob Tyszka of California City was awarded the Balloon Federation of America's (BFA BFA abbr. Bachelor of Fine Arts BFA abbr BFA, B.F.A Bachelor of Fine Arts; first degree in Fine Arts. ) National Crew Person of the Year Award for 2006. The presentation took place at the BFA's Annual General Membership meeting in Albuquerque, N.M. The meeting was held during the 35th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a yearly balloon fiesta that takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA during early October. The balloon fiesta is a nine day event, and has around 750 balloons. The event is the largest balloon fiesta in the world. , the largest balloon event in the world. The award was presented by BFA President Ray Bair. In attendance for the presentation were Anne and Rosemary Tyszka, Bob's wife and daughter. The National Crew Person Award is presented each year to recognize an outstanding crew person who is diligent, reliable, organized and responsible and always puts safety first. Bob, who has been crewing for hot air balloons This article is about hot air balloons themselves. For the associated activity, see Hot air ballooning. The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology, dating back to its invention by the Montgolfier brothers in Annonay, since 1992, is a member of the BFA and the Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Balloon Association (SCBA SCBA Self Contained Breathing Apparatus SCBA Supreme Court Bar Association (India) SCBA Southern California Broadcasters Association SCBA Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America SCBA South Carolina Broadcasters Association ). Bob was nominated for the award by fellow SCBA member Gary B. Eaton of Placentia. Bob has more than 1,400 hours crewing for balloons and in 2000 achieved the BFA's high rating, master crew chief, in the Crew Achievement Award Program. He has trained others to become crew members and has helped to train student pilots, and been a speaker at safety seminars. Bob is a federal employee at Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. and can be found almost every weekend chasing balloons around the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley . < Bob has had a lifelong interest in aviation and earned his pilot certificate for airplanes while in college. He loves the teamwork and camaraderie of being a part of a balloon crew. Ballooning is a family-friendly sport as evidenced by his wife and daughter also being crew members. Bob credits his wife, Anne, for getting the family involved in ballooning. For more information on ballooning visit the Southern California Balloon Association Web site, www.socalballoons.org., or the Balloon Federation of America Web site, www.BFA.net. To post your own stories and photos, log on to valleynews.com. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Bob Tyszka holds his National Crew Person award, flanked by his daughter Rosemary and wife, Anne. The award was presented by Balloon Federation of America President Ray Bair. Balloon Federation of America |
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