USAFA’s Wings of Blue soar at the Labor Day Lift Off amid grounded balloons
Christian Murdock, The Gazette
Poor weather conditions forced organizers to cancel the first launch of the three-day Labor Day Lift Off on Saturday in Memorial Park.
Gloomy weather also nixed a static display and remote controlled balloons. Still, balloon pilots and the Air Force Academy’s Wings of Blue spent time with families who had the opportunity to get close to hot air balloon flames and interact with the skydivers.
Gunnar Kvistad, one of the skydivers, told The Gazette after asking children to help him package his parachute that moments like these “mean everything” to him.
Gunnar Kvistad, a skydiver with the Air Force Academy’s Wings of Blue, lies on his parachute to deflate the air inside of it at the Labor Day Lift Off on Aug. 30, 2025.
“I joined the Air Force because of my sister and I’m staying because of the people. … [There are] a lot of hard times at the Academy and this makes it all better,” said Kvistad, whose sister serves in the National Guard.
Kvistad, of Clark, S.D., was part of the demonstration at the Labor Day Lift Off last year but was part of the ground crew. As a skydiver this year, the event for Kvistad was “a lot more fun, I’ll tell you that.”
Avery Tran, an Air Force Academy skydiver, told The Gazette that it was a great opportunity to be part of the event.
“We love working with the kids. That’s part of the beauty of being on a demonstration team, you know, getting to represent the Air Force and interacting with people who are interested to go to the Air Force Academy,” Tran said.
Tran, of Colorado Springs, also said it was “really special” to have his friends and family come out to the Labor Day Lift Off.
Kvistad and Tran were some of the many participants in the Labor Day Lift Off who enjoyed interacting with those in attendance. Each balloon pilot also passed out their own unique trading cards for the event as a way to engage with younger audiences.
“It’s been really good, like it always is. I really like to have the little kids come up and hand them cards — everybody come up and ask questions,” Hank Humiston, the pilot of the rebuilt Flamebouyant 2, told The Gazette.
Humiston said he was fine with organizers grounding the balloons because it’s “just part of ballooning” and “part of what we do” is being dependent upon the weather.
Launches at 7 a.m. Sunday and Monday are forecasted to have calmer winds and a lower chance of rainfall, according to the National Weather Service.
The Wings of Blue will skydive again at 9 a.m. Sunday in Memorial Park. The Labor Day Lift Off has numerous events planned for Sunday and Monday and a full schedule can be viewed at coloradospringslabordayliftoff.com/schedule/.