Benjamin Kellett
Do you have a nickname that you go by?
Friends and family call me Ben, so long as I’m well behaved.
Where do you live?
Mostly in Queenstown, New Zealand
What do you do for work?
I am a seasonal tandem pilot working summers in both Queenstown, New Zealand and Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.
What year, and how old were you when you started flying?
2014, 23 years old.
Did a family member introduce you to paragliding?
Does anyone else in your family fly?I am the only pilot in the family!
What other passions do you have, or activities do you enjoy?
Generally being in the mountains, snowboarding, skiing, hiking, biking, climbing as well as sharing my paragliding experiences through story telling in videography.
Why is flying important to you, and what does flying mean to you?
It’s the freedom to explore remote areas in a unique way, paragliding brings you to beautiful corners of the world which otherwise you may not have seen. Often they’re rich with scenery and culture, it's an incredible way to travel. I also love the challenge of planning and executing a route. It takes strategic decisions, risk assessment, meteorological knowledge and mental stamina. When all goes as it should, it's very rewarding, but when it doesn’t, that's when the real adventure begins.
Flying accomplishments
- New Zealand XC champion
- 2 time Wanaka Hike and Fly champion
- Bivouac adventure in Karakoram, Pakistan.
- Pioneering new lines across New Zealand’s Southern Alps
Do you have any goals, dreams or plans for the next 1-2 years that you want to share?
Continue to explore mountain ranges around the world through bivouac flying, seeking adventures flying in places rarely flown on a paraglider.
