Balloons & pilots

2024 Balloon and Pilot lineup coming soon!

What is the coolest thing about your balloon?

His piercing eyes, inscrutable ‘I wanna cuddle you or eat you’ smile (he’s never sure which) and his crowd appeal. He is very friendly. And hungry. Be nice to him. And careful.

What has been your best flying experience to date?

I hold a special place in my heart for a Festival in St. Jean-Sur-Richelieu Canada where I learned how to fly in windy conditions as they have plenty of land to fly over.

What made you want to become a balloon pilot?

My Dad was a balloon instructor and I cant afford a helicopter.

What has been your best flying experience to date?

Driving around the world and flying a balloon in 87 countries, encouraging kids to follow their dreams.

If you could fly anywhere in the world where would it be?

Austrian Alps flight from Mauterndorf to Czech Republic.

What is the coolest thing about your balloon?

It’s a cloud hopper, meaning it doesn’t have a basket. Instead, it has a seat with a four-point harness!

What has been your best flying experience to date?

Flying down into the river canyon oin Taos New Mexico and coming up to land.

What made you want to become a balloon pilot?

Andrew: Been chasing the dream since I was 10 years old.

David: The challenge of mastering the three-dimensional elements where the only control you have is ascent/descent.

What made you want to become a balloon pilot?

I always wanted to be a police officer! But life worked its magic and I went for a balloon ride as a passenger in Alice Springs, fell in love with my pilot and the rest, as they say, is history.

What is the coolest thing about your balloon?

It’s flown more in New Zealand than it has in Australia. It last flew at BOW 2020!

What is your ultimate goal in ballooning?

To see more and more people enjoying the sport. Ballooning is a unique and truly amazing way of seeing the world and I would like to see as many people enjoying it as possible.

What is the coolest thing about your balloon?

The coolest thing about this balloon is that it is brand new! It only arrived in the country one month ago and is being flown here for the first time at BOW 2023!

What made you want to become a balloon pilot?

My father bought a balloon when I was 5 and I have been hooked since.

What is the coolest thing about your balloon?

Strata is an experimental home-built balloon with super lightweight fabric making her a breeze to pack up as the total envelope weighs less than 50kgs. Strata is also the only flying triangle basket in NZ that is a restored vintage American basket.

What made you want to become a balloon pilot?

Kieran: Family business gave me a love of ballooning – flying at 4 years old with dad

Paul: Intrest in hot air balloons since a schoolboy, making model hot air balloons out of blue and yellow tissue paper.

What has been your best flying experience to date?

Competing in the BAANZ long-distance challenge in May of 2022

What is your ultimate goal in ballooning?

Stay safe always, share the experience & have a good time.

What is the coolest thing about your balloon?

It is the only one of its kind in New Zealand and is proudly sponsored by Te Awa Lakes!

Hamilton

Pilot Name: Mark Brown

What is the coolest thing about your balloon?

Named after Ned Slattery AKA The Shiner, who was a professional tramp who walked the roads of Otago and Canterbury in the early days of big stations and became a household name due to his ready wit and an entertaining fund of stories about his escapades.