PILOTS

Frank Wechter / IWI the Kiwi

From USA. Balloon is from New Zealand being flown by Frank from Albuquerque New Mexico. 36 years of flight experience. 1st Place ALBF 2003, flown balloons and special shapes in over 60 countries worldwide. Authorized representative for Cameron Balloons Ltd Bristol UK and USA. Taught over 100 students ballooning, balloon consultant for the Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. Balloon maister at numerous international balloon events and co creator of the ALBF special shapes rodeo. Hobbies as cooking, swimming, photography.

 

 

       

From Germany and 14 years of flight experience. Attended ABQ USA, Thailand, Malaysia, Canada all Europe festivals...

 

 

 

Dave Reineke / Sunsational

From Chicago, USA. 30 years of flight experience. A Business Owner. Operates a special shape balloon “Bud.E. Beaver”. Attended USA from Maine to California. New Zealand, UK, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Mexico and Canada festivals. His wife is also a pilot for 30 years. Hobbies as ballooning and travelling.

 

From Canberra, Australia. 24 years of flight experience. National Manager, Human Resources, Department of Immigration and Citizenship in AU. Attended several state and international events and limitless fun with countless people. His first balloon was Western Plains Zoo/Taronga Zoo, flown in NSW mainly. Hobbies as a lovely wife and 3 children.

 

Dan Reusch / Sub Divo

From Peoria, IL, USA. 6 years of flight experince but flying but most of his life around his father’s balloon. Works at Belan Engineering. Spent 1.5 years being a Commercial Balloon Pilot and won his first balloon competition in 2011, have competed in Illinois Balloon state Champs for the past 2 years. Attended numerous events all over the USA. 2nd generation pilot and have enjoyed 20 years in and around balloons. Enjoys spending time with wife and new born baby and friends.

Saburo Ichiyoshi / Lighter than Air

From Tokyo, Japan. Flight experience for 40 years. Running balloon and airship company. Holds FAI World Duration Record AX-10/15, Japan National Records Altitude, Duration, Distance. Attended more than a few times each of AX World Championships, AA World Championships, Gordon Bennett Balloon Races, Albuquerque Balloon Festival, USA, Chateau-D'Oex, Switzerland, Bristol Int'l Balloon Fiesta, UK and many others. Japan's first balloon pilot. FAI CIA Delegate for Japan, First flight from Korea to Japan, Flight over Mt. Fuji. Many Int'l & Domestic balloon events as senior official. Hobbies as classical music, travel.

Miroslaw Konefal / Blue Cloud

From Poland. Works as an office worker. Years of flight experience as 2 as balloon pilot, 15 as glider pilot and 10 as a paraglide pilot. Flying over frozen polish lakes in February 2011 during outside temperature of -25°C. Attended festivals only in Poland but travelling to Philippines, India and Malaysia in 2012. As a balloon observer he participated in competitions and festivals in; Japan 10 times, Republic of Korea 2 times as Event Director Assistant, Australia Worlds, Denmark, Netherlands and Hungary. Hobbies as spending time with his wife and children, 2 daughters and 1 son.

Allan Reusch / Why Knot

From Macomd, IL, USA. Flight experience as for 23 years. Attended Draperstown, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Derby and Albuquerque New Mexico, Letchworth Gorge, New York, Kentucky Festival, Freedom Weekend Aloft, South Carolina, Kool Pro Balloon Tour numerous events in the Midwest in the USA. The balloons that he presently owns have Celtic knots on them. Allan’s son is also flying in the Turkey event. Hobbies include foreign travel and golf.

Scott Wooge / This Way

From St Louis, Missouri USA. More than 20 years of flight experience. Works as a Project Manager for a worldwide Electronics Manufacturer. 1st place in Balloon Federation of America’s Long Jump Challenge in 1996 and 2010. Solo flight of 321 Miles (516km) in a 90k Balloon in 1996. Team challenge was in 2010 with a 125 mile (201km). Attended Albuquerque, NM: Glens Falls NY, Forest Park St Louis, Canton OH, Macomb Il ... 10 events per year. Managed the BFA Pilot Achievement Awards Programme since 2000. He has flown corporate contracts, rides for fire and local fun rallies. Both his wife and daughter are also commercial hot air balloon pilots. Hobbies as owning and operating a balloon repair business during his spare time. Lindstand Balloons USA sales for the last 12 years.

Pete Dutneall / ZOZ

From Melbourne, Australia. Works as a spraying contractor. 22 years of flight experience and organized 6 balloon festivals. Attended: 10 times to Balloons over Waikato in NZ, Several festivals in France and the UK. Regularly attend Canberra and Parramatta in Australia. Also enjoys student pilot training, dropping skydivers and hand gliders from the balloon. Presently National Australia Vice President for Ballooning. Hobby as property renovating.

Rick Poe / BUB

From Sycamore, Illinois USA. Works as an electrician. 23 years of flying experience. Attended Albuquerque. Hobby as to do woodworking.

Nick Meleski / Skyleidoscope

From Albuquerque New Mexico. Worked and retired at UPS United Parcel Service. 17 years as pilot plus 10 years crewing experience. Attended Top Gun Champion, New Mexico State Champion, First Pilot to free fly in a balloon in Taiwan, Competed in six USA National Championships, attended 12 Albuquerque International Balloon fiestas as well as China, Austria, Germany, Mexico, Philippines, New Zealand, Taiwan, Thailand, France and 14 States in USA. Hobby as to fly first time passengers and says the excitement on their faces never stops to amaze him. Also loves skiing, hiking, white water rafting, visiting five grandchildren, playing with dogs and reading.

From Bristol, UK. Works as a commercial balloon pilot as well as consultant, tour manager. Flight experience as 8 years, PPL in 2005, CPL in 2009, 620 flights in total, 300 flying hours P1, 100 flying hours P2. She is probably the only woman (next to one girl in Germany) who has an air-ship rating. She has flown now in 49 countries and is hoping to get many more this year! She was awarded a flying bursary by the BPWA (British Women Pilots association) and gained her gas-balloon rating in 2011, she has been working with various TV companies and we just finished a 5-part film series called “Balloon Adventures around the world” flying in Mongolia, the Alps, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Venezuela. Attended Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and India, various countries in Europe, USA, and Asia. She got into ballooning by having her first flight in Burma in 2002, drifting gently over 2000 temples. One of the pilots was Phil – now her husband and instructor who always encouraged her to try new challenges in flying. As her wedding present he bought her a tiny balloon envelope with the reg G-HEXE (meaning ‘the witch’ in German (she is originally from Germany). She loves flying my little ‘baby’ one-person hopper (one of the smallest balloons in the world with only 17.000 cu feet). As she also loves travelling and has been working as a tour guide for nearly 20 years now, she tries to organize ‘balloon journeys’ that combine the interest of sightseeing with the exhilaration of flying. She is also running the first ‘Women’s Balloon Event’ since 2010 in order to encourage more women into ballooning.Hobbies as swimming, hiking, travelling, trekking, exploring, horse-riding (when there is a chance), a bit of golf sometimes, running, photography, writing articles and enjoying the sunshine when it shines plus many other interests.

From the Netherlands. Flying passengers and training student pilots in Chiang Mai Thailand from Nov-March and the rest of the year in Slovakia and the Netherlands. 1500 hours of flight experience. Worked as an air defense controller in the air force. Flew in more than 25 countries worldwide. Still flying over the ashes of Pinatubo Volcano.

 

 

 

Alain Claude / Haute - Vienne

From France. Worked as a resort manager. 14 years of flying experience. Attended ITALY / Paestum, Fragneto, Aosta, Massino, several years, SPAIN / Mercat del Rey, VIC, THAILAND / Pattaya, Ubon Rachattani, Chiang Mai, several years, MALAYSIA / Puttrajaya, every year since the first meeting, SWITZELAND / Appenzell, FRANCE / Several for several years and mountain flights. He met the balloon in 1997 and soon passed his pilot license. Then created an association in order to help form new pilots, offer an attractive activity to tourists in relation with his resort and make balloon rides available for heavy handicapped people in a wheel chair. Bought a balloon with a special basket and every year he sets balloon rides for people in a wheel chair. Highly rewarding to witness their happiness! He like challenges, sharing and discovering. Participating to meetings enables all this: new countries, meeting new people, flying from different places. Hobbies as deep diving, travelling, meeting people.

 

 

 

Fred Kool / Scouting; Future is now

From De Bilt The Netherlands. 22 years of flying experience. In the Netherlands Fred is flying daily for sponsors and passengers if the weather permits during the summer season. In the winter period there is time for flying abroad. He flies all over the world in many countries in Europe, USA, Asia and Australia. Attended The Philippines, Thailand, Australia, USA (Albuquerque), Austria and most European countries.

 

 

 

From Bristol, UK. Works as a balloon pilot. 26 years of flying experience. He is a special shape pilot, instructor and examiner. Attended Bristol, Chateau D’Oex, Saga, Sri Lanka, Balloons over Rajasthad, Indian Balloon Mela, St Niklaas, Artic Sky, Mexico Leningrad and many other European Balloon Festivals. He is a practising artist with a BA in fine art.

Kerry Frankel / Goldilocks

From Mildura, Victoria Australia. Works as a trade teacher. 22 years of flying experience. Chairman- Organising committee 16th World Hot Air Balloon Champs. Organiser for student Pilot Training Camps. 3 Australian National Championships.Attended Saca – 1991, 2002, Worlds in France, Canberra Balloon Fiesta, Balloons over Waikato New Zealand 2010, 2011, 2012. Owns 2004 Worlds Promotional Balloon-known as Goldilocks. Hobbies as fishing, gardening, furniture restoration.

From New Delhi India. Works as a balloon and glider instructor and pilot. 20 years of flying experience. Training India Military ballooning team, National Geographic channel programme 2001, ITC and Classic Golf Resort at Gurgaon 2002 &2003, Sahara Amby Valley at Lonavala 2001-2002, Film shooting of Hindi Film at Manali and Ladakh 2003, Etisalat at Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Lin UAE 2007,Radio Mirchi at Chennai 2008, ETA Star at Chennai 2008, Shooting for Dare Devils Programme Thailand 2008, Wild life Poramme filing in India2008. Attended Delhi India, South India, Austria, Spain, Grand Prix UK, France, Sri Lanka, Rajasthan India, Thailand, Al Lin UAE, Taiwan, Germany.

 

 

Mohammad Sobri Sadd / Kedah Darul Aman

From Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. Works as group chairman and CRO of EA Holdings Berhad. 18 years of flying experience. Winter flying in Austrian Alps during fire and Ice festival Mauterndorf, Austria. Attended Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland, Italy, Thailand, Hungary, and Indonesia. He is 51 years old, his balloon is named after his home state, and he has ballooned as a hobby since 1994 and holds and Private Pilot License since 1996 with a total of 200 hours. Hobbies as reading, travelling and golf.

 

From UK. 25 years of flying experience. First British pilot to cross the Pyrenees, flown in 33 Countries around the world, and is a special shape pilot. Attended too many to name... Hobbies as animal AI and photography. 

 

Tawin Dumkhum / Singha

From Bangkok Thailand. Works as full time balloon pilot. 2 years of flying experience. Attended USA, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Europe festivals. Hobby as football.

Andrew Clements / Dee Bee

From Northam Western Australia . Works as shovel operator for Gold and Copper Mine. 16 years of flying experience. Attended Canberra Australia, Balloons over Waikato New Zealand, 2004 World Championships fiesta pilot. Ballooning has been in the family since the mid 1970’s. Father, sister and brothers are or have been balloon pilots. Met his wife Belinda through ballooning.

From Zurich Switzerland and Phuket Thailand . Works as a pilot and businessman. 37 years in aviation and 7 years ballooning as a flight experience. First balloon to fly over the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. Alp’s crossing at 6’000 meters after overflying Milan Malpensa Airport landed at the boundary of the City of Milano (David Niven Cup), Launched at Chateau D’Oex Switzerland. Attended festivals all over the world... Thailand, Pallaya, Philippines, France, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Albuquerque, Reno, California, Austria, Mongolia. His girl friend (at the time) and him designed the HEART balloon for their wedding, since then it happens people propose during flights. Hobbies as aerobatic flight instructor, sailing, diving.... anything with elements “life is yet and NOW”.

 

Haydn Board / Ultra

From Kent, UK. Works as director at HGB Motors. 5 years of flying experience. Youngest UK pilot at 16, competition winner. Attended many festivals in the UK, Spain, Portugal, Italy and France. Hobbies as racing, skiing, golf, motocross, training.

 

From Bristol, UK. Works as balloon pilot. 25 years of flight experience. A UK CPL Group C Pilot with Silver awards for accuracy altitude and duration. He is the choreographer for the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta Night Glows and the regional landowner relations officer for the WRBBAC. He has flown balloons in over 15 countries. Attended Ingulad Spain, Chalan Sur Soane France, St loe France, Chateau d Oex Switzerland, Houre, Appledorn, Twente – Holland, Saint Niklaas- Belgium Metz - France. Has flown alongside Richard Branson and was involved in his global Challenge. Likes to do pilot training. Hobbies as rugby and sport in general, music.

 

From Cappadocia, Turkey. Founded Sultan Balloons in 2005. Chief Pilot for one of the largest balloon operators in Cappadocia, Sultan Balloons offers flights using the most up-to-date equipment produced by Cameron Balloons of Bristol, England. Chief Pilot with more than 21 years of aviation experience, Ismail has been flying passengers in this region for nine years and has over 3,600 hours as pilot in charge. Ismail is also an instructor pilot for hot air balloons, gliders and sky diving and is a fixed wing aircraft pilot; he has observed and participated in numerous festivals and competitions both nationally and internationally. In addition to his many other awards and memberships, Ismail has been the Turkish National Hot Air Balloon Champion since 1997, and is also a member of the United States Parachute Association (USPA) and the British Balloon and Airship Club (BBAC). Ismail, who is fluent in English, has a larger than life personality that draws people to him from all over the world. Professional Qualifications 1985 - 2002 Turkish Aeronautical Association - Ankara. Gliding (Categorie “A” ), Ballooning (Categorie “A” ) & Parachute Assistant Instructor, Aircraft Pilot (PPL). Turkkusu General Directorate, Chief of Gliding Department. Chief of Ballooning Department. Chief of Gliding and Ballooning Departments. 1st World Air Games President of Ballooning Commission and Event Manager. CIA (International Ballooning Commission) Turkish Delegate. Chief of Gliding Department. Parachute Jumps 485. Hours in Gliding 1.686. Hours in Ballooning 1.280. Hours in Single Engine 123. Hours in Double Engine 59. Hours as Instructor Pilot 1.130. Hours at Night Flight 27.55. Hours at Instruments 59.00. Additional Professional Experience 2001 2nd WAG Ballooning Championship in Spain as official observer.10th International Military Gliding Championship / GERMANY, 7th National Gliding Championship, Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta / USA (second time), 1st Turkish Air Games in Gliding and Skydiving Championships / TURKEY, WAG Cup 2000 in Spain as official observer, Cup D’Europe Mongolfiere / FRANCE, Turkish National Free Distance Record in gliding with 478 km, Turkish record of distance ( 112 km ), height ( 5.040 meter ) and duration ( 5 hours ) in ballooning / TURKEY, First flight over Marmara Sea / TURKEY, 1st World Air Games Ballooning Championship organizer and competitor / TURKEY, World Hot Air Ballooning Championship / JAPAN, First Turkish National Hot Air Balloon Championship / TURKEY, Organizer of International Kapadokya Cup and competitor / TURKEY, KOGA Ballooning Festival / JAPAN, Chateau d’Oex Balloon Week / SWITZERLAND, 12th and 13th World Hot Air Balloon Championship in the USA and AUSTRIA, Turkish National Parachute Championships / TURKEY, membership at the BBAC since 6 years (British Balloon and Airship Club), membership at the USPA since 6 years (United States Parachute Association).