What happens after I book the flight?
Once the flight is booked, the pilot will contact you a few days prior to the flight to confirm. Additionally, the pilot will give a short briefing of what to expect during the flight, such as what kind of clothing to wear and will determine at that time a preliminary launch site. Either the night before the flight (in the case of an early morning flight) or the day of the flight (for evening flights), the pilot will once again contact you with any last-minute details and verify the launch site and where to meet.
What do I bring and wear?
A camera, of course! Even a video camera, if you have one, is also a wise choice. Wear sturdy shoes, sometimes we land in cow pastures. jeans or casual slacks for abrasion, shorts if it is real hot and you don't mind the occasional scratch. A jacket is also advised for those cooler evenings. Some prefer a hat to keep the sun out as well as sunglasses. Otherwise, we provide everything: water, champagne, beer, sparkling cider, or whatever else you would like, just let us know!
How is the balloon set up?
It takes approximately 30 minutes to set up the balloon, perform the pre-flight inspection, and begin the flight. Using a gas powered fan (think of a box fan on steroids!), the balloon is filled with cold air. Once the balloon takes shape while lying on its "side", the air is heated with a 25 million BTU burner. The balloon the "stands up" and once loaded with passengers, we fly off!
What if I'm afraid of heights?
Most people are afraid of heights. We've flown hundreds of people who said that they were afraid of heights. After their ride, all of them have said the same thing: that it wasn't what they expected. Flying in a balloon is different from climbing a ladder or flying in an airplane. our rate of ascent is so slow that if you closed your eyes, you wouldn't even be able to tell that you had left the ground! Also, balloons travel with the wind, so there's never any turbulence.
Where will we land?
Since a balloon travels with the wind, it is not possible to determine an exact landing site prior to launch. However, a balloon pilot is able, through the study of wind currents, to determine the general direction of flight. Our chase vehicle follows us and is usually waiting for us at the time of landing. After the balloon is packed up, and we've had our celebration, we drive back to the launch field.
How old is ballooning?
On the 19th of September, 1783, Pilatre De Rozier, a scientist, launched the first hot air balloon called 'Aerostat Reveillon'. The passengers were a sheep, a duck, and a rooster and the balloon stayed in the air for a grand total of 15 minutes before crashing back to the ground. The first manned attempt came about 2 months later on the 21st of November, with a balloon made by two French brothers, Joseph and Etienne Montgolifer. The balloon was launched from the center of Paris and flew for a period of 20 minutes. Local farmers were very suspicious of this fiery dragon descending from the sky. The pilots offered champagne to placate them and to celebrate the flight, a tradition carried on by balloonists to this day.
