ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – If you've been to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in the past, or a hot air balloon event elsewhere, you may have come across a unique type of hot air balloon that is described by some pilots as a "head turner."

This type of hot air balloon is called a cloud hopper, also referred to as a hopper, and what sets it apart from a traditional hot air balloon is the fact that it is piloted by one person who sits in an open-air chair that swivels, replacing the stationary wicker basket that pilots and guests typically stand in.

"A lot of people think that it's crazy and maybe it is a little bit, but what I hear the most is 'I've never seen anything like this, I didn't even know there was something like this,'" explained hot air balloon pilot Marissa Myers.

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