Common Questions and Answers about a balloon ride.

[hotairballoonist]

Frequently Asked Questions page.

 

Below you will find a list of many of the questions past passengers have had.  These are just guidelines for the most general questions.  Answers can vary from different Balloon Ride Operators. 

 

Q. Where  do we meet?

 

A. Different balloon ride operators have different places to meet.  You will have to contact your local balloon ride provider to find out where they meet.

 

Q. When do you fly?

 

  A.   Balloon flights are most often conducted at Sunrise in the morning and just before sunset in the evenings.  Some areas of the country evening flights are not conducted either at all or during some times of the year.  Check with your local provider to find out what their schedule is like.

 

Q.  Why do you fly so early?

 

A. Hot air balloons are completely dependent on the wind.  In other words we do exactly what the wind does.  As the sun heats the earth the air begins to boil just like a pot of water.  This boiling of the atmosphere can toss us around like a two year old pulling a Tonka truck.  In other words we begin to loose control of the balloon and flight operations become dangerous.  Cool, Calm, Early morning Air is best for your safety. Some parts of the country they can also offer flights in the late afternoon just before sunset. The first hour of light in the morning is the safest time of the day.

 

Q. Where do we fly?

 

A.   Each day is different.  What launch and landing sites we will use on any day is determined by the speed and direction of the wind that day.  Today's launch site might be tomorrows landing site or we might not go back to that site for weeks. Some Balloon Ride Operations have specific launch sites and the landing areas can vary each day.

 

Q. How far will we fly?

 

A.  We will go as far as the wind will take us.  Remember balloons float with the wind.  We have seen days where we flew for one hour and 15 minutes and went one mile!  We have also seen days where we flew for 45 minutes and went 27 miles.

 

Q. How long will we fly?

 

A.  We will fly for about an hour depending on landing sites and wind speeds.  We plan our flight biased on wind forecasts as well as observations we take at the hotel before we leave.  Our goal is to generally fly for about an hour. 

 

Q. How high will we fly.

 

A.  When the passengers start to pass out from lack of oxygen it is time to go back down.  A normal flight goes anywhere from tree tops to a couple of thousand feet.  There are days when we spend a large portion of our flight up high and some days down low so we can take advantage of winds that are moving in the direction we need to go to get to a landing site.

 

Q. Do you fly at any other time?

 

A. Balloons need calm stable and light winds.  These types of conditions very rarely happen durring the middle of the day.  If safe conditions are going to develop they will almost always happen during the first hour of the morning or the last hour before sunset.

 

Q. How often do you have to cancel a flight?

 

A. Many balloon ride operators fly between 150 to 200 flights a year.  That is an average of a flight ever other day!  The weather determines the amount of cancelled flight.  Some parts of the country the weather allows for more than 300 flights a year and other parts of the country will only get 100 good days. 

 

Q. How many people can go in a balloon?

 

A. Balloons vary in capacity from 4 to 24 adults. Most balloons carry 4 to 6 passengers but in areas where there are many people on vacation or where there are other attractions people visit, there are large companies who fly balloons that are designed just for passenger flights.

 

Q.  How do we get in and out of the balloon?

 

A. Most balloons have steps built into the sides of the basket. Balloons that do not have steps most often will have a small step stool to use or you just climb in over the side.

 

Q. Can we get a balloon just for our family or couple?

 

A. Yes we call that a private balloon.  Many Balloon Ride Operators offer this type of service.  You most often will pay a little more money but having a balloon to yourself is a wonderful thing.

 

Q. Does a persons weight matter?

 

A. Yes it does!  In a hot air balloon you, as a passenger, represent a significant percentage of the total aircraft weight load. 

On an airplane you represent only one out of 250 people so if you are overweight by 100 pounds then the total average weight per person, only changes by less than half a pound.  Some people have more than that for lunch. 

In a balloon one person can represent about 25% of the total passenger load so 100 pounds changes the per person weight by 25 pounds each!  That is the weight of a small child.  Imagine what we would have to do if someone showed up with 4 extra kids we did not expect. we would not be prepared for that and could not take them flying that day. Please if you are significantly overweight let your local Balloon Ride Operator know in advance!  Some Balloon Ride Operators have weight limits.  This is not because they are being discriminatory it is simply the limits of the aircraft!

 

Q.  What time do we meet and when will we be done?

 

A.  Meeting times vary depending on sunrise and sunset times.  Check with your local provider for the meeting times on the date you intend on flying.  The entire program most often takes 3 to 4 hours,

 

Q. Can we bring cameras and video gear?

 

A. YES.... Bring lots of film or batteries and memory cards.  You will love the photos you take! also if you have extra batteries that may be something you will be glad you packed.  But remember have a bag or safe place to put the camera away for landing.  Balloon ride operators will not be responsible for extra items you bring along.

 

Q. Do we have to make some sort of deposit?

 

A. Some companies have you put down a deposit some have you purchase the ride in advance.  The nice part about this website is that we only list REAL balloon pilots and company's  If you choose someone listed on this site you are dealing with the actual pilots and flight teams personally.

 

Q. If the weather is bad do I get my money back.

 

A. Here again each company has their own policy.  Make sure you ask them this.

 

Q. Will we be cold up there?

 

A. Actually you will be WARMER in the balloon. HOT air balloons (note the clue HOT)  float with the wind so there is no wind chill.  Generally in the morning as we climb the air actually gets warmer by a few degrees.. You may want to wear a hat to protect your head from the radiant heat of the balloon burners.

 

Q. What should I wear or how should we dress.

 

A.  We will be out in open pastures and fields.  The grass in many cases is tall and wet from the morning dew.  We suggest you dress as if you were going for a hike in the woods or a walk in the park.  Because we will be out in open and most often unkept areas we do not suggest open toed shoes such as sandals and flip flops.  You feet will most likely get dirty and wet. Many Balloon Ride Operators will not even allow open toed shoes of any kind.

 

Q. Why are some balloon rides cheaper?

 

A.  We like to point out the old saying, "You get what you pay for!"

Many things effect cost from size of balloons to if you are choosing to have a balloon to yourself to the area you fly.  Some areas have good flying weather all year and the pricing may be less than other areas that have a very limited flying season.  Prices vary from $150 a person to $300 a person.  But remember this!!  Your life depends on it, do you really want cheap?

 

Q. Can I come along and WATCH?

 

A. Hot Air Balloonists love being watched. 

 

Q. What about small children?

 

A. As a parent you would be rich if you had a dollar for every time you said "Hot Hot. No No." We want you to understand the burners on the balloon are the biggest, brightest, hottest, FIRE you have ever seen.  If small children are not warned about the fire it will frighten them.  We are not against families flying with us.   We just want you properly warned before you come so your youngsters can enjoy the flight as well.  All of my nieces and nephews have flown when they were just 3 years old.  If you have children under the age of 5 please take the time to talk to them about the balloon and make sure they understand that the fire is how we make the balloon fly and it wont hurt them.  Also check with your local balloon ride operator.  Some do not take children at all.

 

Q. How do I make a reservation?

 

A. Choose a provide listed here on this site.  Call them or visit their website.  Many Ride Providers have forms on thier website where you can book a flight.

 

Q. Is it SAFE?

 

A. Flying always has risk. So does driving your car and boating and many other activities.  Pilots are a very safety conscious group.  Go to the calendar section of this site and look at the safety seminar calendar and you will see seminars taking place all over the country.  No one wants to get hurt or in the pilots perspective hurt one of their passengers.  Any given day there can be up to 300 balloon flights happening all over the united states.  Each carries an average of 5 people.  That is 1500 passengers a day.  That means annually more than half a million people fly in a balloon each year.  Generally there are only a handful of people seriously hurt.  Accidents are most often attributed to sudden changes in weather and this is why weather is so important to ballooning.  For the most part a balloon flight is a safe thing but there are always risks and each passenger should take the time to educate themselves about those risks.

 

Q. What if the weather is bad?

 

A. If the weather is bad we do not fly!  Not only does your life depend on the weather but so does the pilot's and they don't want to take any more risks than you do.  If the weather is not good balloons dont fly and the Pilot is the final authority.

 

 

Q. How do we find out if the weather is bad?

 

A. Talk to the pilot.  They most often do not mind letting you know what they think.  In fact most of the pilots we have met over the years LOVE TELLING YOU WHAT THEY THINK!  (insert laughter here)....

 

Q. How much does it Cost?

 

A.  Pricing varies from region to region.  Many things effect cost from size of balloons to if you are choosing to have a balloon to yourself to the area you fly.  Some areas have good flying weather all year and the pricing may be less than other areas that have a very limited flying season.  Prices vary from $150 a person to $300 a person.  But remember this!!  Your life depends on it, do you really want cheap?

 

Q. How can we pay?

 

A.  Most balloon companies take all forms of payment from pay pal to cash to credit cards.

 

Q. Will I like it?

 

A. We are sure without a doubt you will LOVE IT !!! 

But don't take our word for it, Have a look at what previous passengers have said.  Click here to go to the  Guest Book

Q. What if we are coming from a long ways away.

 

A. Make sure you remember that balloon flights are weather permitting.  Ask your pilot what they think a day or two ahead.  Sometimes they can save you a trip if they know the weather is not going to be good.  There are also times where we get all the way out to the launch site and conditions are still not right.  TRUST the pilot if they say no and understand they want to fly as much as you do but safety is #1.

 

Q.  What if someone can not stand for an hour?

 

A. Some balloons have Seats and others do not.  Seats are fairly rare in balloons. Most balloons you can lean on the edge of the basket like leaning on your kitchen counter.  Some balloon operators will not take someone who can not stand on their own.  Check with your chosen company.

 

Q. Can we bring our own champagne

 

A. No,  Unfortunately the FAA requires us to be able to lock a door between the passengers consuming alcohol and the pilot operation the aircraft.  A balloon basket does not have doors.  But I promise you will survive the flight with out the champagne and we will serve you champagne as soon as we get back to mother earth.

 

Q. What if I get motion sickness easy

 

A. Have no worry.  The hot air balloon moves so slowly that there is no sensation of motion at all.  Seriously if you had your eyes closed you would never know you were moving at all.  In 35 years of flying we have never had anyone get motion sick.  The balloon floats.  Imagine you were in a canoe floating down a river.  You feel like your sitting still but you can see by the banks of the river that you are indeed moving.  A balloon floats with the wind and moves smoothly up and down.  Truly a float and no feel of motion at all.

 

Q. Are there fumes from the fuel for the balloon.

 

A.  No.  In a hot air balloon we burn propane to create the heat to fly the balloon.  The same propane you use in your Bar-B-Q grill at home.  No one ever worries about the fumes from the grill.  Propane is one of if not the most clean fuels we have.  Propane burns 99.7% clean.  No residue no fumes no nothing.  If it did create fumes our balloons would look horrible after a few flights yet after years of use there is no build up of anything.  think of it this way,  If you left your Bar-B-Q grill on by accident you could sit near it and not even know it was on unless you felt the heat from it.  No fumes from the balloon burners at all.

 

Q. What is someone is AFRAID OF HEIGHTS?

 

A.  There are three things that cause people to be afraid of heights and NONE of them happen in a balloon. 

First natural fear is motion, that butterfly in the stomach feel like you have in an elevator or on a Ferris wheel.  The balloon is so large and moves so slowly there is no sensation of motion at all! 

Second is the fear of falling.  This is like when you are on a ladder or the edge of the roof where you know if you make one wrong step you are going to hurt yourself.  This is also referred to as Impending Peril.  The sides of the balloon basket are high enough that you would have a hard time jumping out let alone falling out so that fear does not happen. 

The LAST one is centrifugal force.  The earth is a spinning object and the farther away you get the faster you spin. Some people have such a sensitive inner ear (Balance) that when they go up in a high place they feel like they are going to fall.  This is because they are spinning faster and their balance is being thrown off.  We have all heard someone say "I don't need to go near the edge or look out the window just being up here makes me feel funny"  That's because looking out is not the problem.  They are spinning faster and their inner ear has not become accustom to it.  In a balloon we are no longer attached to the spinning object.  In a balloon you actually spin LESS than if you had stayed on the ground!  This disarms the inner ear. 

IN 38 YEARS OF FLYING OVER 6,000 FLIGHTS, I have never had to land and let someone out!