Royal Balloon employs highly regarded and experienced pilots to provide a Royal class, safe and memorable flight to its passengers. Royal Balloon pilots has accumulated a total of 15000 flight hours and has flown more than 150.000 passengers in total.

Suat Ulusoy

Suat is the chief pilot of Royal Balloon and also he is 1 of the 10 instructor pilots of Türkiye. Suat has flown 2000 hours as pilot in command for 15 years. He has mostly flown in Cappadocia which gains him to know every single corner of Cappadocia. Suat has also flown in UK, Spain and USA (including the great Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta). He is also the only Turkish Member of BFA (Balloon Federation of America).

Beside passenger balloon flights, he has performed balloon flights for some local and international newspapers, magazines and TVs such as Martha Stewart Show (Hallmark Channel), BBC (Blue Peter), NBC, RAI, ZDF, History Channel, NHK, TVB, Australian Discovery Channel and countless Turkish TV stations.

Suat has made also a History Degree in the University of Ankara; which gives his passengers a very big possibility to get some historical information and stories about Cappadocia while flying with him.

Suat used to be delegate of Türkiye at FAI (International Aeronautical Federation) - Ballooning Commission and represented Türkiye at many international meetings. He was also official at World Air Games 1997 held in Türkiye and Coordinator of Turkish National Team at World Air Games 2001 held in Spain.

He also had the balloon maintenance courses in UK and currently hold 2 different manufacturer's maintenance certificates.

His biggest hobby is travelling. He likes to travel at his free times mostly in winter. His favorite destination that he has travelled to is Costa Rica and he is in love with New York. He collects magnets from the places he visits. He also likes internet and most probably you will get respond from him when you email to Royal Balloon.

David Stanley Parkes

David is our Australian pilot originally from Burleigh Heads / Queensland. He has flown for more than 25 years and 3500 flight hours in total as pilot in command.

He is also founder of Balloon Down Under and operated the company for 18 years. David is referred as one of the best Australian commercial balloon pilots; and we are very happy to have him with us at Royal Balloon.

Last 3 years, he is flying in Cappadocia and always claims Cappadocia is the the best balloon flight destination to fly.

David and his beloved wife Lorraine lives in a restorated cave house in Ürgüp. David likes trekking in the valleys of Cappadocia in his free times with Lorraine. There is actually too much things to say about him. You should fly with him and experience his flight skills.

Şeniz Tuzcu

Seniz Tuzcu is one of the First Female Balloon Pilots of Turkey. She started her aviation career with paragliding in 1994. Seniz was a very succesful paragliding pilot for a long time and used to be member of the Turkish National Paraglide Team and Winner of First Turkish Nationals in 1998.

She is a very succesfull and experienced Hot Air Balloon Pilot since year 2000. Seniz has accumulated 1500 flight hours in total and also she holds a license as the technician of hot air balloons and makes the maintenance of the balloons that she flies by herself.

Seniz made International Trade degree in the Anadolu University (Eskişehir - Turkey). She is also the Quality Management (System) Administrator of Royal Balloon - Cappadocia.

She has special interest in the Japanese culture. She can speak Japanese and English. Seniz and her daughter lives happily in Ürgüp / Cappadocia and we are very happy to have her within our team.

Ibrahim Ozertugral

Ibrahim is our the only Local Cappadocian Pilot. Since 2007, he has completed 1000 flight hours succesfully.

This giant pilot (1.85 cm) is so calm in his flights compared to his size. In addition to his excellent flight skills, probably he is the the best balloon technician in Turkey. Even the Lindstrand Balloons (the manufacturer of our Balloons) offered job to him in the factory if he decided to quit his piloting career one day.

Nowadays he is taking English classes to improve his English and trying to adopt marriage life as he got married very recently.

Murat Ozertugral

Murat is one of our Cappadocian pilots and was born in Urgup in 1988.

He is a well educated young pilot who has two degrees which are: Tourism & Hotel Management and Business Management degrees.

After he completed his university degrees, he followed up his brother Ibrahim's footsteps and went in for ballooning. Before being a balloon pilot, Murat was involved in all aspects of ballooning such as: crewing, driving, office works and maintenance. He is one of the newest pilots of our company, skillfull and dedicated to his job.

Goksel Oner

Although Goksel is Cappadocian, he has spent most of his life out of Cappadocia for his education. He is another well educated pilot of Royal Balloon who has Business Marketing and Management degrees.

He has worked in one of the best textile companies of Turkey as a Shop Manager for a while. But after he joined a few balloon flights as a passenger, he made a big change in his life and decided to become a balloon pilot.

He is very friendly, chatty and talented balloon pilot. While flying with him,you will never get bored as he keeps talking with you and giving information of Cappadocia during flight. He likes to fly balloon because of feeling the freedom in the air.