German-born balloon pilot Erika Phil has flown hot-air balloons in 124 countries, with more than 2,000 flights to her name. Her passion began in 2002 when she took a flight with a British pilot named Phil in Myanmar. 'I immediately fell in love with ballooning,' she recalls.
Erika later trained as a pilot and became the UK's first female hot-air balloon flight examiner. She also founded the Women's Balloon Event in 2010 to promote aviation to women. 'People thought I was just following Phil, but that wasn't true: I had a real passion for my work,' she says.
Her husband Phil passed away in 2021 from leukaemia and Covid-19. Erika continued their consultancy business and pursued her own record attempt. She has flown in every country of the Americas and was the first to free-fly a balloon in Sumatra and Brunei. Her last trip included Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, where she flew over hungry lions in Tanzania's Tarangire National Park.
Erika aims to reach 150 countries, with a possible expedition to west Africa next year. 'Phil was always such a great support. I think he'd be up there, sitting on a cloud, feeling very proud,' she says.
