Our Pilots

All the Pilots with Orlando Balloon Rides are fully certified by the FAA. We pride ourselves on having full-time professional staff to take care of you. Our pilots have over 100 years combined experience in Ballooning and a perfect safety record.

Mark Roberson – Chief Pilot

Mark started his career in the US Marine Corps in 1977, flying fixed-wing aircraft. He obtained his balloon ratings in the 1980s and became involved with the FAA. He is a designated pilot examiner, aviation safety counsellor, chaired the FAA Balloon Safety Seminar in Lakeland, Florida, for seven years, and has amassed more than 3,500 hours. He has flown all over the US, Central and South America in corporate balloons for The Hard Rock Café, The Ball Park Frank, Bryan, Ford, Mossy Oak, Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Miller Genuine Draft, and was chief pilot for Orlando’s world-renowned Rosie O’Grady’s Flying Circus for several years. He speaks fluent Spanish.

Ian Swift – Pilot

Ian has flown balloons since the 1980s and has amassed more than 2,000 hours. He started his career flying passengers in England and has worked extensively in Europe, Central America, the US and The Middle East. He has also flown corporate balloons for Emirates Airlines, Guinness, Rover and Virgin. He comes from York, England.

Dean Mabe – Pilot

Dean has been flying balloons for 13 years. He started with Sport Balloons Tampa, Florida, where he also became a repairman. In 1997 he became the commercial pilot for Celebration Aviation and general manager of their Repair Station. He also piloted many special-shape balloons in the US including Sunny Boy and Miss Daisy of the Seasons Balloon Team. He has been flying with Orlando Balloon Rides since February 2005.

David Weston – Pilot

David has been flying balloons since 1975. He has completed more than 2,700 flights and has flown worldwide including over the US, Europe and Africa. He was chief pilot for Trans World Safaris, Kenya, flying over the Masi Mara for 17 years and flew the world-renowned Eastman Kodak Centennial balloon all over the US and Canada for many years. He lives in Orlando, Florida.

Don Edwards – Pilot

Don took his first flight in 1986 in his hometown of Burlington, North Carolina. He has flown commercial balloons including Blockbuster Video, Ziploc Bag and several Anheuser-Busch balloons including Budweiser. He is among a select group of pilots to have flown America’s biggest special-shape balloon, The Energizer Bunny! Others include Miss Daisy, the Popcorn Bag and Shamu the Whale. He has also flown in France, New Zealand, Canada and Ireland and has logged more than 2,000 hours.

Damien Mahoney – Pilot

Irishman Damien has been involved in commercial balloon rides in Orlando since 1999. He was crew chief with Blue Water Balloons for several years before graduating to commercial pilot. He has travelled extensively in the US flying balloons in Georgia, New Mexico and Arizona.

Mike Comerford – Pilot

Mike took his first flight with Orange Blossom Balloons, trained in the UK and US and became a commercial pilot. He has flown extensively for Orange Blossom Balloons and Blue Water Balloons and has also flown in Europe and Central America.

To book your flight of a lifetime, call us today on 1.407.894.5040, email flyme@orlandoballoonrides.com or complete our online booking form today!