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Scott Appelman, the founder and president of Rainbow Ryders, an iconic hot air balloon company with a name synonymous to that of the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 International Balloon Fiesta, has died, people close to him have confirmed. He was 66.

Appelman died in Phoenix of a heart attack on Thursday morning, they said. He is survived by his wife, Heather Hopkins Appelman, and family.

Appelman had started his company operating out of a garage with just one two-passenger hot air balloon 鈥� and in the decades since had turned it into an industry leader.

Rainbow Ryders, founded in 1983, eventually expanded across sa国际传媒官网网页入口, Phoenix, Colorado Springs, and Park City, Utah, according to the Rainbow Ryders website. The company has dozens of balloons across those markets, more than 100 employees and flies roughly 45,000 people each year.

In an interview with the Journal last year, Appelman said he鈥檚 鈥渁lways loved aviation.鈥�

鈥淚 used to be that nerdy little guy that would hang out at the end of the runway and watch planes take off,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he idea of flying and just having no steering wheel and just kind of navigating what Mother Nature gives you, it鈥檚 a lot of fun, and every flight鈥檚 different.鈥�

Appelman originated the Fiesta鈥檚 Balloon Glow and helped organize the Special Shape Rodeo. Rainbow Ryders renewed the contract to serve as the official Fiesta balloon ride provider last March and has served in that role since 1999.

鈥淚t鈥檚 weird because everybody said, 鈥榊ou work so hard,鈥� but I really didn鈥檛 feel like I was working because I love what I do,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly proud of everything that鈥檚 happened. It takes a big team to make this happen.鈥�

Appelman鈥檚 love for ballooning began when he was a child, attending his first Balloon Fiesta at age 12.

Two years later, he was at the Fiesta crewing and, by the time he got to college, Appelman befriended someone with a hot air balloon who taught him how to pilot.

After graduating in 1981 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration from the University of New Mexico, he started ballooning recreationally around the country.

鈥淚 was having a great time and decided that I was going to quit the family business, which was Academy Plumbing and Heating, and decided to see if I could make a living doing hot air balloon rides,鈥� Appelman said. 鈥�... It鈥檚 been a heck of a ride.鈥�

In a statement, Balloon Fiesta officials said the organization and 鈥渂allooning community are devastated to learn鈥� of Appelman鈥檚 death.

鈥淥ur deepest condolences to his family and loved ones,鈥� Fiesta officials said in the statement. 鈥淪cott鈥檚 fingerprints and legacy cover the Balloon Fiesta through his leadership on our board of directors, organizing the first Balloon Glow and Special Shape Rodeo. So many accomplishments which will all be celebrated and commemorated in proper time. For now, we will mourn his passing and ballooning鈥檚 loss.鈥�

The Fiesta鈥檚 board of directors president, Judy Nakamura, told the Journal Thursday she first met Appelman 鈥� whom she referred to as 鈥淪cottie鈥� 鈥� in 2004 when she got her start in ballooning.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a larger than life figure in the ballooning community,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just can鈥檛 say enough. 鈥� If you鈥檙e in this community, you know him. When I talk about community, I don鈥檛 just mean sa国际传媒官网网页入口 鈥� I mean the community of ballooning.鈥�

The sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Aerostat Ascension Association called Appelman 鈥渁 dedicated supporter, volunteer and advocate for hot air ballooning.鈥�

鈥淭he sight of a Rainbow Ryders hot air balloon flying through sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 sky will forever be a cherished memory honoring Scott鈥檚 enduring legacy,鈥� the group said in a statement. 鈥淲e are grateful for Scott鈥檚 years of generosity and expertise in Quad A and hot air ballooning.鈥�