From the basket of his balloon, Wil experiences Heber Valley in a way few ever will—surrounded by sweeping, 360-degree views of Mount Timpanogos and the Wasatch and Uinta mountain ranges. Up there, the world is peaceful, quiet, and expansive, broken only by the occasional burst of propane flame warming the air inside the balloon. It’s a perspective that never gets old.

Wil’s path to ballooning began long before he ever floated above Heber. In 1976, he took his first flight in a 1932 Pietenpol airplane, skinned in fabric and powered by a Ford Model A four-cylinder engine. With a takeoff speed barely over 20 miles per hour—slower than his 1963 Volkswagen Beetle—it was a fitting introduction to a lifetime in the air.

After serving honorably in the U.S. Air Force as a Technical Sergeant and aircraft mechanic, Wil moved into a wide range of hands-on work. He built custom cars, climbed poles to hook up live electrical and telephone lines, and eventually helped expand telephone interconnectivity across the South and Midwest during the telecom boom of the 1970s and ’80s. By 1984, he owned and operated three cellular phone companies, selling what were then massive, power-hungry car phones—often installed in luxury vehicles at a premium price.

It was during this era that a passing balloon changed everything. In 1988, Wil spotted a hot air balloon drifting overhead and chased it down in his pickup truck, thinking it would make a perfect advertising platform for his cell phone business. That curiosity led to his first balloon flight—and soon after, to FAA certification as a private balloon pilot. Ballooning quickly became more than marketing; it became a calling.

By the early 1990s, Wil had earned his commercial pilot’s license, ordered his first custom balloon, and began competing in balloon races across the Midwest. He won his first race in 1991 and went on to claim one of ballooning’s highest honors in 1999: first place at the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. From 1996 to 2003, he never finished lower than eighth in that prestigious competition.

As balloon design evolved, so did Wil’s creativity. He embraced shaped balloons, eventually designing his own. His first, Keystone Willy, was custom-built in 2015, with Wil closely involved in its design and engineering. This hands-on experience led to other custom creations, including a soccer-ball balloon inspired by his time as a professional soccer goalie and by coaching and playing soccer with his sons.

Wil visited Heber City in 2017 to meet up with one of his pilots who was flying out of Park City, and decided to stay for a while. In 2018, he began offering balloon rides in the area and met his second wife (his first wife, Marilyn, passed away in 2015), Gwen, whose brother lives in Midway. In 2020, he began launching flights from the Heber Valley Airport.

“There’s no comparison,” Wil says of flying here. “The views, the air, the way of life, the sun cresting the mountains in the early morning.” He quickly learned the rhythms of Heber’s skies, watching local glider pilots and studying the wind, lift, and sink patterns unique to the area. The prime flying window runs from about 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. in late June through September, when conditions are calm, and the light is magical.

Today, Wil’s distinctive balloons—like Keystone Willy and The Pirate—are a familiar sight drifting gently above parks, open spaces, and designated landing zones throughout the valley. His flights are intentionally intimate, carrying a maximum of ten passengers, creating a personal, unforgettable experience. Over the years, his passengers have included athletes, musicians, actors, and even Utah legend and Heber Valley resident Karl Malone.

Wil shares Heber Valley’s skies respectfully with glider pilots, other balloonists, and motorized aircraft, and he’s been a supporter of local festivals and fundraisers along the way. Still competing at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, he brings world-class experience to every flight.

From above, Heber Valley looks timeless—its patchwork of fields, waterways, and mountains unfolding quietly below. Floating there, it’s easy to see why Wil Lapointe fell in love. It’s a view that might just make Peter Pan jealous.

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