About Sky Walkers

A lot of Hot Air!

Our Pilots and Crew

Mark Whitewood

Chief Pilot & Founder of Sky Walkers Balloon Experiences

The company has been a long time in the making and has been fuelled by Marks obsession with Hot Air Ballooning.

It all started at the age of 8 when a Hot Air Balloon landed in the field next to his family home. This was the first balloon Mark had ever laid eyes on, he arrived to the landing site with his Kodak camera (back in the day of film) and was completely mesmerised by it and took pictures of the basket, burners and the envelope. This left such a massive impact on Mark was so impressed in the simplicity of the idea that a combination of a wicker basket and a burner and a large duvet cover can transform into a flying machine! Determined not to let go of what he had seen and driven, only 8 years later Mark found himself at the age of 16 having his first balloon flight over the Swiss Alps at Chateau D’Oeux festival, from that moment on he was hooked.

Mark started off crewing for Early Bird Ballooning in Great Missenden and The European Balloon Company, diligently paying regular trips to The Black Horse Ballooning Pub! Mark successfully obtained his Private Pilots license (PPL) in 2004 and has flown in several in Countries such as America in Oregon and Alberquerque, Austria, Switzerland and France. Mark has competed in The Queens Cup Hot Air Balloon Race, which is held every 10 years in 2013 and 2023 where he and Richard Penney came in third place in the Audi Eco balloon after flying nine and half hours in day one and seven and half hour the following day. Mark has flown across the English Channel twice and across London several times in the Lord Mayors Balloon Regatta. Mark obtained his commercial licence and was keen to progress to the next size of balloon. Commercial tethers and flights for companies such as Audi, Victoria Secrets (there was no shortage of crew members that flight!), Hulu/ Disney, and flying VIP passengers from The Grove Hotel.

Thirty Six years later since his first flight almost to the day he launches a brand new and exciting flight company which will literally take ballooning to another level!

Pilot: Richard Penney (Balloon Man)

A celebrity in the ballooning world! Richard has appeared on a few television programs in a balloon, the TV cameras are drawn to him! Richard and I both got involved in crewing for hot air balloons when we were 17 years old. It’s easier to name countries in which Richard hasn’t flown in! Part Bird part man! At one point Richard had spent so much time off the ground he completely forgot how to walk! When he is not ballooning he is ballooning in another country! His hobbies are flying in a balloon! An absolute pleasure to be with Richard is a charming Balloonist!

John (The Gloves) Curtis

A long standing crew member of some 15 years of ballooning “Mr Gloves” as he is known by his colleagues is always prepared with a glove for every occasion! A retired engineer John will measure twice and hopefully cut nothing! He will always have a witty ditty or a story to tell you! He’s definitely not short of something to say! An excellent member of the team a safe pair of hands! As long as they are gloved!!

Cookie

Some say his real name is The Stig! All we know is he’s called Cookie! A former professional show jumper and equine professional he certainly knows his way round a horse and a balloon! When he’s not ballooning or Horsing about he has a selection of crazy fast scary cars! Lots of energy and enthusiasm and like John everytime he shows up he has a new pair of gloves! Definitely a bromance going on here!

Paul (I am a Balloonist) Haddow

Paul earned his title at a balloon festival a few years back when he was spotted by security dangling his rod in a one of the many lakes around the country estate. He was ushered off by security and at that point he had to dispatch his line: “I am a balloonist!” Security released him and he was given a pardon was formally knighted by the monarchy! Being a balloonist opens doors! Paul is a qualified engineer and works very hard and needs to as he has so many children I have lost count!

Big Dave

A true legend in the ballooning paternity, Dave was my first crew member going back to when I was learning to fly 23 years ago. Dave is jolly useful for applying himself to the balloon to help squash the air out when being packed away! Another retired engineer and University Lecturer! A gentleman and a scholar!

Could this be you?

We are always on the look out for crew, we can’t fly without you!

Essential skills: Must be a retired engineer and have a Glove fetish!

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