-
I was lucky enough to fly with Graeme and Scotair recently and had a wonderful morning. He was a first class pilot throughout the flight and I was surprised just how much control of the balloon he had.
Paul Mackley
-
I would thoroughly recommend Scotair to anyone considering a balloon flight.
Morag Boyd
-
Graeme goes the extra mile to make sure the once in a lifetime experience is as magical as possible.
Alistair Leggate
-
Thanks Graeme for an amazing experience.
Pat Fleming
Testimonials
Site Menu
Recent Projects
Social
Gallery
Schools Projects
Global Challenges
Advertising
Flights
Take the Tour
Scotair Balloons first took to the air on the 9th of December 1991 when we did our first test flight with the local press on board. We were to be Scotland’s 1st Commercial Balloon Operator and here we are 20 years later, and despite the current world economic situation, still operating. We opened our office in the 14th February 1992 and made the first flight in our new passenger balloon on the 22nd April from Hartree House Hotel near Biggar, Scotland. Since then we expanded the Champagne Flights operation until we were the largest carrier in the north of the UK. Things changed in the year of 2001 and we reduced the scale of our passenger rides business and started spreading our wings, flying in Europe and the USA whilst also moving into Advertising and Marketing. We are now the only company in Scotland undertaking Aerial Marketing and flying internationally. We are also the only UK company with an Airship on the way.
About
Chief Pilot
Graeme Houston first took to the sky in a balloon on the 3rd of April 1988 whilst employed by Loganair at Glasgow Airport. The company had acquired a balloon for Advertising and Marketing purposes and needed crew. It was as crew that Graeme was meant to be involved but by a strange quirk of fate actually became the “Pilot Under Training”, and later the Pilot. No sooner did he qualify than he was off flying in Italy.
Now Graeme is one of the UK’s leading professional pilots with experience as a rides pilot in the UK, an aerial work pilot internationally (advertising balloons) and a safari pilot in Africa.
In 2008, Graeme became one of only a handful of Thermal Airship Pilots in the country and certainly the only one in Scotland. This has placed Scotair Balloons in a very unique position as one of only two Commercial Operations licensed to operate the Thermal Airships for commercial purposes in the UK.
In 2011 Graeme attained his Tanzanian Commercial Pilots License and took to the skies over Tarangire National Park where he now has more experience and flying hours than any other pilot there. This park is known for it’s Baobab tree’s and lack of landing areas, but as Graeme says he tamed the beast. Now back in Scotland, Graeme has a hunger for another big challenge or adventure, perhaps this challenge will be for a new corporate client, flying in some other far flung part of the world or will it be in his roll as a TV Format Creator? Only time will tell!!
At home in Scotland, Graeme is a family man with two sons, Luke and Connor. In 1993 whilst visiting Thunder and Colt Balloons in Oswestry, Graeme met his wife Lisa who was working in the factory with the world renowned pilot Per Lindstrand. They were to be married in Kenya in 1996.
Copyright © Houston Designs 2011