Meet the Team
DAMIEN HAYS - Chief Pilot & Director
Damien has been flying since 1990. Damien grew up in the Avon Valley, home to ballooning in Western Australia, and has been involved with the sport since an early age. Damien has flown commercially in the Hunter Valley & Camden in New South Wales, the Yarra Valley and at Hanging Rock in Victoria, Cairns in Queensland, the Meander Valley in Tasmania and of course home in the Avon, and holds endorsements to fly balloons up to 400,000 cubic foot in capacity, Australia’s largest class of balloon. He also holds Instructors’ ratings for both Commercial and Private training (balloons).
GREN PUTLAND - Senior Pilot
Gren has been flying balloons since 1977, and is also a fixed wing pilot, being one of the foundation members of the Western Australian Balloon & Airship Club. Gren is a CASA approved Authorised Test Officer as well as a Commercial Examiner and Instructor (Balloons). He is Western Australian delegate to the Australian Ballooning Federation, delegate to the Regional Airspace Users Policy Advisory Committee, and is a past Chairman of the Northam Tourist Committee. His achievements in hot air ballooning include representing Australia at two World Championships, placing 8th in 1983, an Australian altitude record set in 1980, and firsts such as flying from Rottnest Island to the Mainland as well as flying over the Stirling Ranges in the South of Western Australia. Gren established Windward in the early 1980’s and after selling the business to Damien in 1998 he still likes to maintain a close involvement.
GEOFF HOWE - Pilot
Geoff has been flying balloons since 1997. Geoff hails from the east coast, normally Canberra, but has decided to head West to do some flying for Windward during our peak periods. Geoff has flown balloons in places such as Canberra, Parramatta, Longford in Tasmania, Mildura, and Lithuania as well as the Avon Valley. He is one of the few balloons pilots to have flown his balloon from Wilpena Pound and across the rugged Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Geoff holds his Private Instructors rating and has assisted many new balloonists to achieve their private balloon pilots certificate.
LEON WACHOWSKI - Head of Ground Operations
Leon has been working for Windward for over 9 years and now is responsible for co-ordinating, supervising and training our team of ground support specialists. Leon is also a fledgling balloon pilot holding his student pilots certificate and having done a few hours of training towards attaining his private pilots certificate.
HEATHER MEIKLEM - Customer Services Manager
Heather joined us in 2004 and has become an integral part of our bookings office team. When she is not managing our busy bookings office she is bringing up two teenagers as well as assisting with various community organisations around town.
BELINDA HOWE - Customer Service Officer
Belinda joined us in 2007 with a wealth of adminstrative experience after moving to Northam from Canberra. When she isn’t in the office answering our phones you may see her out retrieving balloons for her partner who holds his private balloon pilots certifcate.