Philip Bryant is a commercial pilot for single and multi-engine land airplanes and hot air balloons. Phil has logged over 5,100 hours as pilot in command, including 2,200 hours in hot air balloons. He holds an Advanced Ground Instructor rating and an instrument rating for airplanes, and he has served as an ASMEL instrument instructor.

Phil began flying in 1963 in Tucson, Arizona, while attending the University of Arizona. He graduated in 1967 with a degree in Civil Engineering, majoring in structural engineering, and went to work for Shell Oil Company as a District Engineer building petroleum facilities.

Among his assignments with Shell was Manager of Health and Safety for the Products Distribution Department. That role gave Phil a deep appreciation for the part safety plays in every aspect of our lives. After successive promotions, he eventually moved to Houston, Texas, the head office of Shell Oil Company.

Through assignments across the US and one abroad, Phil kept his aviation skills current as a flight instructor in General Aviation. Then in 1991 he took his first ride in a hot air balloon, and he quickly made the move from airplanes to balloons. He added the lighter-than-air rating to his pilot certificate and soon began instructing in hot air balloons.

In 1996, Phil became a Designated Pilot Examiner and FAA Aviation Safety Counselor for hot air balloons, serving the Houston Flight Standards District Office.

Phil also earned a gas balloon rating and has made numerous gas flights in the Americas Challenge and the Gordon Bennett events. He served as Balloonmeister of the Festival del Globo de Leon for 22 years, ending in 2023. A notable event this year was

Air Apparent is a multicolored Lindstrand A90 that glows beautifully and flies just as well.

It has dual turning vents and is powered by a Lindstrand Super Single burner. This totally redundant burner is an extremely safe and capable system.

Thanks to its multicolored design, the envelope also shows off wonderfully in photographs.