The pilots
The pair is made up of a Dutch-speaking and a French-speaking:
- Stefan Ryckaert : Balloon pilot for 25 years (400 hours of flight), qualified in gas balloon since 2015, doctor of biotechnology, teacher in Ghent.
- Gauthier Hayt : Pilot and instructor for 20 years (550 hours of flight), gas balloon qualified since 2018, commercial airplane pilot, currently working at skeyes, the Flight Information Service and the AMC (Airspace Management Cell).
The ground crew
The ground crew will be divided into two groups:
- The routing team (also known as « race HQ ») brings together meteorologists and pilots to guide the crew through the complex European airspaces and optimise trajectories according to the winds.
- The Preparation and Recovery Team
- prepares the balloon with, among other missions, filling the ballast: 120 bags of 10 kg of sand
- follows and accompanies the balloon on the ground throughout its journey,
- ensures the repatriation after the landing of the pilots and the balloon.
To follow our news and the race
Facebook: Gordon Bennett Team BEL-2
Date and place: Gordon Bennett 2025 , September 5, 2025 at the Frescaty plateau, Metz
