HIGH FLYING PETE REACHES 15,000th PASSENGER IN BALLOONING EXPERIENCES
“The sense of providing a unique and bewildering experience for passengers and enjoying their enjoyment,” is what hot air balloon pilot Pete Forster likes most about his job!
Pete is the pilot for Webster Adventures, a Kinross based company which was launched in 2014, and is now one of the leading commercial operators in leisure ballooning.
The company, which offers ballooning experiences across Perth and Kinross, is the only ballooning firm that can take as little as two passengers on a trip, hence the fact it has already witnessed more than its fair share of marriage proposals!
It’s also recently introduced an online booking system so that clients who have received a gift voucher for the balloon trips, carried out in Webster Adventures world record participating Cameron Balloons built balloon, can quickly book themselves in for the airborne experience.
When on board, they’ll find themselves in the safest possible hands, as Pete has clocked up over twenty eight years experience, and flown more than 15,000 passengers, as a balloon pilot, having joined Edinburgh University Hot Air Balloon Club in 1991 where he subsequently learned to fly. His very first balloon flight, as a passenger, was in the Australian outback in 1985. The experience stayed with him, prompting him to joining the club at University a few years later. He ran Alba Ballooning in Scotland for eighteen years before being joining Webster Adventures, headed up by young entrepreneur, Daniel Webster.
“I actually trained as an Aeronautical Engineer,” said Pete, “so you could say that flight of all types has pretty much always interested me.”
“I then went on to become a Research Scientist in Artificial Intelligence, or Robotics, so you could also say that I understand how things work, especially in the air!” added Pete, who was born near Newcastle Upon Tyne, but brought up in London.
He’s very proud of his balloon flying record which has seen him win trophies for Alpine ballooning, one of the most challenging types of ballooning.
“My main focus is not competitions or world records, although they are fun to enter, but just flying passengers on a regular basis,” said Pete, who now lives near Edinburgh. “My favourite place in the world to balloon is actually in Scotland – I love ballooning over the Ochils, and also the Tweed Valley in the Borders.”
Pete is in no doubt that he has the “best job in the world,”, taking passengers in what he calls a “unique journey.”
“They can be full of questions and curiosity, especially if it’s their first time in a balloon, although we do see repeat customers who come back bringing other friends and family members to share in the experience.”
“We’re unique at Webster Adventure in that we will just take two passengers if need be, most other operators fly ten to sixteen passengers in larger balloons,” said Pete, “so with us you can be in a group, or have a more intimate experience, hence we’re very popular for special birthdays, anniversaries, and wedding proposals.”
“If I do witness a romantic proposal, then all the better,” finished Pete. “It’s a privilege to be part of something people will never forget, and you simply can’t put a price on that!”
Webster Adventures has secured two world records, one for a fast English Channel Crossing, and another for joining 450 balloons in a huge group ballooning session in Metz, France. Click here or call 0808 169 6100 to book.
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