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Since 1984 I have worked continuously as a commercial balloonist with virtually all of my balloon flying being business, rather than sport-related.
I have flown commercially in twenty five countries, with a combination of instruction, advertising and special stunts. However the greater majority of my ballooning work is in the field of flying large, commercial passenger balloons (1400+ hours flying Group C balloons), instructing commercial pilots and advising on the set-up of businesses in this area.
I am a UK hot air balloon Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) Examiner, Instructor and Airworthiness Inspector for all types and size categories (A, B and C) and a CAA approved Revalidation Examiner of Type Rating Examiners, Balloons (i.e. an Examiner of commercial balloon pilot Examiners who require renewal of their ratings). I am also authorised by the UK CAA to conduct observation check flights for the assessment and recommendation of new applicants for the role of PPL and CPL Examiner (Balloons).
Additionally, I hold CPL’s for balloons issued by the relevant authorities in the USA, Chile, New Zealand and Egypt and Private Pilots Licences (PPL) for balloons in a number of countries where a CPL is not locally available. These include Fiji, France, Switzerland and Pakistan.
I have instructed pilots at various locations throughout the world, including the UK, Italy, the USA, Spain and New Zealand. In Egypt, where I spent about five years commercially flying and instructing over a thirteen-year period, I trained fourteen balloon pilots and was the only foreigner ever to be issued with a full Egyptian Commercial Pilots Licence for hot air balloons - as opposed to a local validation of a foreign national licence. Additionally, I instructed the first licensed balloon pilots in Pakistan and I currently perform the role of Training Captain, Quality Manager and Flight Examiner for the largest commercial ballooning company in Asia.
I set up and gained approvals for the first and largest balloon Maintenance Organisation (M.O.) in Northern Chile, as well as gaining approvals for the founding of the first commercial A.O.C. holding ballooning company based in the Atacama Desert.
I have acted as a consultant and commercial pilot for balloon operators starting new businesses in many countries where ballooning has not been established, or is still in its infancy. These countries include Chile, Egypt, Spain, Fiji, Myanmar (Burma), Dubai, New Zealand and Bulgaria. I also advised and assisted with the launching of the first officially approved Maintenance Organisation for balloons in Myanmar, where I currently act as Quality Manager.
I have frequently acted in an advisory role to a number of National Aviation Authorities where private ballooning and also commercial ballooning have been developed as activities and industries.
I have acted as contributor to the EASA rulemaking process and am a member of the British Balloon and Airship Club, the Balloon Federation of America and am a Freeman of the City of London.
I have been instructed in the UK and USA as an expert witness in connection with hot air ballooning.
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