________________________________ October at the Ranch: Weathering the Storm Together As we’ve witnessed, October brought some fierce weather our way, but it also brought out the strength and unity of our ballooning family. Here’s a recap of our hurricane relief efforts and the exciting new developments at the ranch. ________________________________________ Hurricane Clean-Up and Community Support In the wake of Hurricane Milton, our team came together to assist our neighbors and help the surrounding communities get back on their feet. Special thanks to Mike Ties and Steve Antle, whose dedication helped distribute supplies to those in need in North Carolina. Also, a big shout-out to Luke VanCamp and his beautiful wife, Kailey, for their continued efforts in collecting and delivering supplies to the region. We were proud to offer refuge during the storm. 22 friends and family (refugees) found shelter at the ranch, where we all worked together to burn limbs and branches, chop wood, spread gravel for the driveway, and, most importantly, share comfort, home-cooked meals, and good conversation on the front porch during Hurricane Milton. Our Fun Fly Weekend was sadly canceled in October due to the hurricane. With so many people displaced or in the midst of clean-up efforts, it felt like the right time to focus on hurricane relief and support the United Cajun Navy and Operation Airdrop efforts. ________________________________________ Ranch Life: New Faces and New Roles The Nutting family has officially moved to the ranch, bringing exciting changes to our pilot training and ballooning programs. Rob Nutting will now lead our Pilot Training Program, offering lessons for anyone looking to take their first discovery flight over Cordele or get trained as a private/commercial pilot. Rob, Erika, Hunter and Brooke, are now full-time residents and are ready to help you with your ballooning journey. Additionally, Hunter Nutting has taken on the role of Land Management Director. No, Jessica will not stop mowing the grass! But, with Hunter on board, we’re setting a course to ensure the ranch is managed to meet our long-term vision. Expect a more polished landscape and a clearer path for future projects. ________________________________________ Ranch Projects & Updates Here’s what’s been happening at the ranch: ●    Aurora Cabin: It’s now completely ready for weary travelers—a great addition to our accommodations. ●    Montgolfier Tiki Bar: Construction has begun, and we’re excited to provide a new hangout spot for everyone. ●    Screened-In Front Porch: It’s officially got doors and is ready for relaxation, with additional plans for wainscoting and railing. ●    Campers: Have been moved to a more convenient location with electricity and water hookups. ●    Electricity: The Crisp County Power Manager is helping us bury the power line, a small sacrifice for the sake of safety and aesthetics (goodbye, Holly Berry plants, but we’ll miss you). ●    New Mower: Thanks to Tom’s auction skills, we’ve added a finish mower to the fleet. No more only bush-hogging the back fields!           ________________________________________ Ballooning Adventures & Community Outreach We’ve had some amazing balloon flights recently. From locals to visitors traveling from as far as Pensacola and Atlanta, it’s been a joy to share the beauty of Cordele from the sky. Here are a few snapshots from these special flights: In addition to flying, the Nutting family was also busy with Trunk or Treat at Veterans Park. With a fun Up Disney Theme, they connected with hundreds of locals and handed out over 3,000 goodies. It was a great way to spread the joy of ballooning and meet our community. ________________________________________ Training, Mentorship, and DPE Updates We’re still working closely with the FAA to bridge the gap created by the retirement of Mr. Sullivan, our Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). While the process is slow, we’re hopeful that new DPEs will be appointed soon. In the meantime, we encourage all students to keep practicing through private testing on our website for your written FAA exam. (www.Aviation-Ranch.com/student-lta/) And if you’re still in the process of working toward your Private License, don’t hesitate to reach out for mentorship or additional instruction. Whether you’re looking for a practice location or need a fresh perspective, we’re here to help at the ranch or elsewhere with a trusted pilot! ________________________________________ November at the Ranch: Giving Thanks and Spreading Cheer As we move into the season of gratitude, we have a lot to be thankful for, and we’re looking forward to sharing the holiday spirit with our ballooning family. ________________________________________ Thanksgiving Fly-In November 28th – December 1 We’ll be gathering at the ranch for a Thanksgiving Fly-In—a time to reflect on the year, celebrate with friends and family, and, of course, enjoy a beautiful flight. The weather looks promising, and we hope you can join us! ________________________________________ Adopting Families for Christmas In the spirit of giving, we are partnering with local organizations to adopt families in need here in Cordele. In years past, we’ve hosted a Christmas toy drive in Florida, but this year we want to support families in our own community. Stay tuned for more details on how you can help make a family’s Christmas a little brighter. ________________________________________ Getting Ready for Christmas at the Ranch Once Thanksgiving is over, we’ll dive into our Christmas Cheer on the Ranch. We had so much fun last year with our outdoor light display, and we’re excited to expand it this year. If you have any decorations or ideas to contribute, please bring them by. We want our display to be bigger and brighter, bringing even more joy to our town this holiday season! ________________________________________ Fall Foliage “Fotos” We want your photos!  Do you have any fantastic fall foliage photos you have taken from your Fall Balloon Flights?   We would love to see them.  Remember as a Ranch Member you can post articles, upload photos and so much more in the Member Posting area on the site.  Here is a great video tutorial on how to do just that! https://aviation-ranch.com/video/MemberPosting.mp4 ____________________________________ We’ve had an incredible year, and we couldn’t do it without the support of our amazing community. Thank you all for being a part of our journey, and we can’t wait to see what the next two months bring. Gentle Breezes & Soft Landings, The Ranch Team