Company Profile

Our Company was established in 1985 by Phil Dunnington, one of the world's most widely experienced commercial balloon pilots who in the course of extensive ballooning activities has flown balloons in 127 countries to date. Allie became part of the company in 2003, since when she has become high-profile in women's ballooning and commercial operations.

Gone-With-The-Wind aims to provide a unique source of advice and assistance for anybody considering a balloon-related event or operation anywhere in the world. We have unrivalled experience and contacts almost everywhere, can communicate in over six languages, and have visited a total of over 130 countries in the course of our careers. Gone-With-The-Wind holds a UK Civil Aviation Authority Air Operators Certificate which allows commercial operations in many locations worldwide, to international air transport standards.

The Consultancy

We have the experience of over 40 years in tourism and aviation to help you with any project anywhere involving balloons:

• Incentive and VIP experiences
• Public events and aviation entertainment
• Product promotion
• Consultancy on tourist balloon operations
• Adventure tours for individuals and small groups
• Balloon hire for any events
• Training to UK standards
• Aerial filming platform

For more details, click here.

Your Consultants

Phil Dunnington

Phil, one of the World's most widely experienced commercial balloon pilots who in the course of extending ballooning projects has flown balloons in 127 countries to date, with a total of 2500 P1 hours in 3800 flights.

Evolving from a career in airline and aircraft manufacturing management, Phil, who has been flying balloons commercially since 1971, has helped establish tourist and promotional balloon operations in Europe, Africa, South and Central America and South-East Asia. He also set up his own balloon rides business in the English Lake District and Ireland, operating successfully for 12 years. In conjunction with British adventurer David Hempleman-Adams, Phil sets up select tailor-made expeditions to the Earth's remotest corners, ranging from Arctic Canada to Mongolia.

A Geography graduate specialising in air transport economics, Phil was the UK's chief examiner for balloon licences for over 15 years, deeply involved in formulating the technical and legislative framework of ballooning in the UK and overseas in conjunction with the Civil Aviation Authority and other administrative bodies. He is a director of Europe's largest annual public balloon spectacle, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, and has run similar events in Ireland, South America and the Middle East.

Phil is an auditor of inspectors and is heavily involved in the new EASA regulations, travelling frequently to meetings in Cologne

Phil's experience and reputation for understanding and analysis of balloon safety systems and accident investigation have included providing expert opinion and advice to major London law firms and overseas aviation authorities on balloon accident claims legislation.

The team has also worked as pilots, consultants and presenters for many successful TV programmes including BBC, ARTE/ZDF, Discovery Channel and other production companies.

Dr. Allie Dunnington

Allie, born in 1967 in Germany, has travelled and worked in Asia since 1986. She has a Master's degree in Asian Studies and speaks various European and Oriental languages. Having lived and worked in countries such as Mongolia, China, Japan, Singapore and other far eastern countries Allie has an in-depth understanding of different lifestyles, cultures and mentalities. She has written travel articles and published photographs in major magazines and newspapers.

As a professional tour manager she specialises in organising her own tours which offer a combination of sporting activities, ballooning and cultural visits. Having worked with up-market tour operators over many years she has completed her PhD in social sciences on the subject of tourism and anthropology.

Allie is now the first female PPL Examiner and UK Type-Rating Examiner and has obtained her ARC signatory approval by the CAA. She flies gas-balloons as well as hot-air airships and is enthusiastic about promoting ballooning to women and has started the 'Women's Balloon Event' which has now become a key element in the annual ballooning event calendar.

She has flown in 103 countries, recently adding Mauritania, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia (see Aerostat article here) and holding the Women's World Record since earlier visits to Suriname and Guyana. Allie enjoys flying balloons of all sizes from her small one-person hopper to big commercial passenger balloons carrying 16 people.

Our team can communicate in German, Chinese, English, Japanese and French.