Marine veteran & balloonist Katelyn Salazar takes flight over Valencia County

Born and raised in Albuquerque, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Katelyn Salazar knows no boundaries from the ascent into the skies to the imprint she’s made on the soil below.

Now based in Los Lunas, Salazar pilots her blue-and-pink hot air balloon, Pixie Spirit, adorned with the towering, magical creature. The Lindstrand 105A balloon has a 105,000 cubic-foot envelope and a spacious basket with a door for easy, passenger access.

Salazar designed Pixie in March 2021 and received the balloon that October, in time to debut at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Before she took off as a dual-rated pilot, Salazar stood firmly on the ground — her coyote-brown boots planted in the desert of Arizona — serving her country in the United States Marine Corps from 2000 to 2004.

Since several extended family members had served in different branches of the military, joining JROTC in high school felt natural to Salazar, where she enjoyed the class and the friends she made.

“My teachers refused to promote me and told me I would never make it in the military,” Salazar recalls her discouraging senior year. “I decided not only would I make it — I would do it as a Marine.”

Salazar’s was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, one of the Marine Corps’ premier aviation training hubs. The base supports about 80 percent of the Corps’ air-to-ground training and has been its busiest air station since 1962.

When asked if she had deployed Salazar said, “Sadly, no.” stating she remained in Yuma until honorably discharged. She earned her private pilot certification in 2006, which marked the start of her aviation journey. She expanded her professional credentials and further broadened her aviator expertise in 2014 with a commercial certification.

When I moved back to the Albuquerque area, I realized there were a few flying schools around. So, I started taking flying lessons in 2018 and got my private airplane rating in 2020,” she said. “I learned in the T-41 Mescalero, which is basically the military version of the Cessna 172 Skyhawk. It’s a fun and reliable plane.”

A licensed professional with knowledge in meteorology, aviation regulations and ground crew coordination, Salazar combines technical precision with an unmistakable affection for flight. Her background in the Marine Corps instilled a strong foundation of leadership and attention to detail — skills needed to properly operate a massive balloon.

Whether to navigate changes in wind currents or prepare passengers for liftoff, Salazar appears confident and calm as she and her crew ready Pixie for launch. It’s clear, ballooning provides enjoyment and an opportunity to untether from the earth.

To inspire youth, Salazar has shared her passion as a flight instructor at the Balloon Federation of America Balloon Camp in Nevada. The national program, designed for teens ages 13 to 17, provides a comprehensive introduction to the world of ballooning.

From responding to emergencies on the runway to commanding the skies above, Salazar embodies the spirit of the Marine Corps and determination to rise.