ABOUT ME

For my birthday, my wife gave me a gift that would change my life: a hot-air balloon ride. It was a breathtaking experience and when we landed, I immediately knew, "I want to do this too." After two years of training, I obtained my certificate and was allowed to take to the air myself. During that training, I soon discovered a major stumbling block in the industry: the existing software. Not only was it ill-suited to the needs of balloonists, it was also extremely pricey. As an IT specialist, I saw an opportunity to change something here.

Together with my instructor, who provided valuable input and tips, I started developing what would later become Quick Release. From the beginning, this software was designed with the balloonist in mind: user-friendly and focused on the specific challenges of the industry.

When Quick Release entered the market, I made sure to have personal contact with every new customer. This not only to quickly familiarise them with the programme, but also to gather feedback. Customers asked questions, made suggestions for new features, and thus helped me to keep improving the programme. The result is a software package that is constantly growing and evolving, tailored to the needs of its users. My own experience as a balloonist also plays an important role in constantly innovating the software.

The positive feedback from users makes it all worthwhile. A client recently told me: "Extremely satisfied with the Quick Release software, which has taken our company into a digital dimension that matches our services. The QR service is extremely personal, customer-oriented and, above all, extremely responsive." That is exactly what I wanted to achieve with Quick Release: to unburden balloonists so that they can spend more time on what really matters - the experience of flying. Features such as user-friendly passenger check-in make the administrative process faster and more efficient, allowing customer and pilot to enjoy their flight for longer.

Meanwhile, Quick Release has been around for ten years and remains one of my greatest passions. I combine this with a position at PXL University of Applied Sciences. As head of ICT Research, I follow new trends in software development, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. Programming Quick Release myself is my way of keeping in touch with practice. For me, working on Quick Release does not feel like work - it is similar to reading a good book. It is relaxing and sparks the imagination. And it is the constant interaction and user satisfaction that make me want to open this "book" again and again.