Mike Heffron

Apr 15, 2026

Hailing from Emporia, Kansas, Mike Heffron took his first balloon ride in 1984 and has been flying for over 15 years.

Inspired by friends, he found a lifelong passion in ballooning and now pilots CoddiWoMPLe—a wheelchair-accessible balloon named after the whimsical phrase meaning “to travel in a purposeful manner toward a vague destination.”

Mike’s favorite place to fly is Colorado Springs, and one of his most memorable flights was celebrating a passenger’s 100th birthday aboard CoddiWoMPLe.