Balloon adventurer hopes his message on children takes off

DUBAI // Some may say his plan is full of hot air, and they would be right, but that has not stopped a Dubai resident from carrying his message of hope to children across the world.

Andrew Parker’s Flying High for Kids Project is a five-year initiative in which he flies around the world in a hot-air balloon and speaks up for children and their right to education.

“Since the age of six I dreamt of being a hot-air balloon pilot and I achieved my dream at the age of 19,” says Parker, 33.

“This is what I want to tell children, to pursue their dreams. I want to share my story to inspire them.”

Born and raised in Hamilton, New Zealand, Parker became his country’s youngest commercial hot-air balloon pilot.

“I had the idea of flying for a cause back in my early teens and it has stayed with me ever since,” he says.

“I started planning in 2010 and it was a dream come true when the project started in 2013. “Many of the kids we meet have never seen a hot-air balloon before and it brings me a lot of satisfaction to see the smiles on their faces.”

After selling his commercial hot- air balloon business in his homeland a few years ago, Parker has invested more than US$300,000 (Dh1.1 million) to fund the project. Since it began he has flown his balloon in 50 countries.

In that time, Parker has found that children are the same the world over. “Many kids throughout the world don’t get the chance to go to school, even though we know that education is a powerful tool for lifting them, their families and communities out of poverty,” he says.

“They may belong to different social structure and from different financial backgrounds but all of them have one thing in common – they all dream big. Their imagination is as vast as this universe.”

The project is to end late next year after taking in another 50 or so countries in his balloon – which stands nine storeys high and can carry three people – at a personal cost to Parker of about $200,000.

“Ballooning is an art and I love my balloon,” he says.

“However, security is my utmost priority,” he says.

“I never take any risk and fly only when the weather is suitable enough.

“There is no fun and adventure when there is even the slightest chance of risk.”

Courtesy Andrew Parker Above, balloonist Andrew Parker introduces Polish youngsters to the sport through his Flying High For Kids Project. Below, taking flight above Feldkirch, Austria.