Virgin Balloon Flights was first launched in 1994, in the wake of the 'ballooning mania' the followed Sir Richard Brandon's two record breaking hot air balloon rides over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
But who is at the helm of one of this iconic Virgin brand today?
Way back in 2002, the reins were handed over to chief pilot, Kenneth Karlstrom, to take forward with his own company under the Virgin Balloon Flights brand.
Ken's love for hot air balloons began when he joined his university ballooning club back in Sweden and after flying for a few years as a hobby, he became a commercial passenger balloon pilot and left Sweden for Africa in 1986.
After meeting his wife and moving to England in 1991, he joined Virgin Balloon Flights as a pilot back in 1997. Just three years later, be became chief pilot and just five years after that, became CEO and took on the Virgin Balloon Flights brand under his own company.
Ken is a qualified hot air balloon pilot instructor and examiner and is passionate about encouraging and training new, young pilots to become commercial balloonists.
Several of Virgin Balloon Flights younger pilots were personally trained by Ken and each year he carries out each pilot's annual refresher assessment, known as a base and line check.
Ken's lifelong love of hot air ballooning and bringing the experience to as many people as possible is one of the reasons Virgin Balloon Flights is still going strong after almost 30 years.