Our Pilots - DreamBalloon ApS

Philip Mundt Founder & Head of Commercial Pilots

1,000+ Flight hours

3x Danish Champion

20,000ft Altitude record

“The radiant smile and the genuine hug after a first balloon flight make it all worthwhile. That’s where it all begins, and I’m proud to be able to share that experience.”

With more than 1,000 hours in the air, Philip is one of the most experienced professional balloon pilots in Denmark. He has flown across much of the world, from extinct volcanoes in Kenya and the icy wilderness of Svalbard to the open plains of Russia and the snow-covered peaks of the Alps.

Philip founded DreamBalloon in 2011 and today serves as Chief Pilot and CEO. He also holds the Danish record for the longest balloon flight at 7 hours and 25 minutes and has flown as high as 28,000 feet.

As a former competition pilot, he won the Danish Championship in 2008, 2009 and 2011, and has taken part in the World Championships in the USA in 2012 and Japan in 2016.

Philip Mundt

Bartosz Oberski Pilot & Chief Pilot

25+ Years flying

7 Countries flown

3,500+ Flights completed

“From the silence of the Arctic to the golden sands of the Middle East, ballooning has taught me that every horizon holds a new story.”

Bartek is a highly experienced commercial pilot with more than 26 years in ballooning and over 1,700 flight hours. His career spans Europe, Asia and the Middle East and includes a unique expedition to Svalbard.

Specialising in both large passenger balloons and complex advertising flights, Bartek has been a key part of the DreamBalloon team for the past 12 years. As a flight instructor and balloon technician, he now trains the next generation of commercial pilots and helps maintain the highest standards of safety and technical expertise.

Bartosz Oberski

Dominik Nowakowski Pilot

2,000+ Flight hours

12 Competitions

800+ Passenger flights

“Commercial flights are rewarding, but every now and then I need a challenge. That's when I push the envelope.”

A pilot with extensive experience in both sport and passenger flying. For many years, Dominik has operated commercial balloons, while also pursuing unique flights and aerial challenges. His passion for both competition and passenger flights makes every journey feel special.

Dominik Nowakowski

Hans-Jörg Spies Pilot

1,500+ Flight hours

5 Countries

15+ Years experience

“Denmark stole my heart years ago. Now I get to share its beauty from the best seat in the house, 500 metres up.”

A German passenger balloon pilot, Hans has a deep connection to Denmark and its people, and has been visiting regularly for many years. His extensive experience allows him to work all over the world, though Denmark has become his favourite place to fly.

Hans-Jörg Spies

Allie Dunnington Pilot

124 countries flown

1,750+ pilot hours

2,200+ balloon events

“Ballooning is the perfect mix of adventure, seeing our beautiful world from a new perspective, and meeting incredible people. No flight is ever the same. I love it.”

Allie is a highly experienced balloon pilot from England, originally from Germany, with a lifelong passion for exploring the world from the air. She holds the world record for the most countries flown by a female balloon pilot, with a total of 124.

As the UK’s first female examiner, she works to inspire more women and girls to take up the sport and pursue careers in aviation. Her achievements have been recognised with an Achievement Diploma from the International Olympic Committee and the Royal Aero Club’s Norton Griffiths Challenge Trophy.

When she is not flying, she enjoys cold-water swimming and running.

Allie Dunnington

Filipe Tostes Pilot

15+ years as a pilot

1,700+ balloon flights

19,000 ft altitude record

“The sky is where the best path begins.”

Filipe is a passionate commercial balloon pilot with more than 2,500 flight hours. He is a three-time champion at Latin America’s largest balloon festival, the Festival Internacional de Balonismo de Torres, winning in 2014, 2023 and 2025.

He also has extensive experience flying special shape balloons around the world, with around 600 flight hours across more than 100 international balloon festivals.

Filipe Tostes

John Vanyenga De Almeida Pilot

15+ years as a pilot

1,700+ balloon flights

19,000 ft altitude record

“Ballooning brings me closest to what matters, silence, light, and the land below. I try to share that calm, genuine connection with everyone who flies with me.”

John grew up in southern Africa, in Namibia, and later worked with a landmine clearance NGO in Angola before starting his ballooning career. After several years in hospitality, he transitioned into aviation, bringing with him resilience and a deep respect for people and nature.

Today, he flies commercially wherever the winds take him, offering a calm and attentive presence on every flight.

John Vanyenga De Almeida

Christian Rylander Pilot

32,500 ft altitude record

40+ years as a pilot

1,200+ pilot hours

“Watching the landscape turn into a miniature as you rise in the oldest flying machine known to mankind is both a privilege and a passion I love to live.”

Christian began flying passengers in Stockholm in 1985, making him one of the very first licensed commercial balloon pilots in Sweden.

He also explored the more adventurous side of ballooning, reaching 32,500 feet in a standard hot air balloon and setting a Swedish altitude record in 1986 that still stands today.

After more than 40 years and 1,200 hours in the air across many countries, he remains passionate about sharing the magic and the views of ballooning with his passengers.

Christian Rylander