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Answers To Your Questions
How far in advance do I need to book? If you have a large group or would like to fly on a weekend you may need to book a couple of weeks in advance. But some days are busier than others so if you have a date in mind do not hesitate to contact us. [top] Which season has the best weather for flying? You can have good or bad days at any time of year, we take it on a day by day basis. But autumn typically has more flyable days than the other seasons. [top] How does a balloon fly? Hot air balloons fly because hot air rises. Hot air rises because it is less dense than the cooler air around it and so it tends to 'float' on the cooler air. We use a burner to heat the air in the balloon until it is hotter than the air outside the balloon. Once it is, the balloon will rise, carrying us with it. If we were to allow the balloon to cool it would begin do descend as it becomes the same temperature as the outside air. If we were to let some of the hot air out of the balloon the same thing would happen because there would no longer be enough hot air in the balloon to lift us. Gas balloons work on a similar principle except that they use helium gas, which is less dense, and therefore lighter, than air to achieve the same effect. [top] How high do you fly? How high we fly depends, (like so many things in ballooning), on the winds on the day. At different heights there are different wind layers in which the wind has different speeds and directions. On an average flight we go from tree-top level up to between one and four thousand feet, (several hundred meters). Some people have gone as high as 60,000 feet or more. [top] How much does the balloon cost? The cost of a balloon varies greatly depending on how big it is. We have three balloons which can carry up to six, nine or sixteen passengers depending on which balloon you are talking about. The largest of the three cost about $105,000, and the other two were about $70,000 and $55,000. [top] Do you need a license to fly a balloon? Yes, our pilots have Commercial Pilot Balloon Licenses, we are just like any other aviation charter business and all of the same rules and regulations apply. [top] How big is a balloon? There are many different sizes of balloon from small, one person balloons to very large ones that can carry twenty people or more. Sports balloons average between 65,000 and 105,000 cubic feet and carry from three to six people. These balloons when inflated vary in height from eighteen to twenty-seven metres and are between thirteen and eighteen metres in diameter. We have 3 different size balloons, one of 120 000 cubic feet, the 2nd of 180 000 cubic feet and our biggest is 300 000 cubic feet. [top] Why do you fly so early in the morning? Although we need some wind to fly the balloon we can't fly if there is too much. We fly in the early morning because the winds are at their calmest then. Also, a lower ambient temperature means that it is easier to get the balloon off the ground and keep it in the air because we don't have to heat it to such a high temperature. This in turn means we don't use so much gas and can fly for longer. And besides, the valley looks so pretty at sunrise..... [top] How is a balloon inflated? We begin by laying the basket on it's side and then laying out the envelope, (the balloon bit), and attaching it by very strong wires to the basket. Then we inflate the balloon with cold air using a portable petrol-powered fan. When the envelope is almost completely inflated with cold air we turn on the burners and begin to heat the air inside. This will make the balloon begin to rise to an up-right position. Then we just keep heating the air until it is hot enough to take us up for a ride. If you would like to see some pictures of the inflation click here. [top] What is the balloon made of? The first panel of the balloon is made of Nomex which is extremely fire-retardant. The material from the 2nd panel up is rip-stop nylon which is coated with polyurethane. [top] Where are the sandbags? We don't need sand bags. If we want to go higher we just heat the air in the balloon a bit more. If we want to go down we let the balloon cool or let a bit of hot air out. Gas, (helium), balloons use sandbags. [top] Why do you still use wicker for the baskets? Wicker is light in weight, flexible and very strong - and besides, it looks so nice...... [top] How much does the balloon weigh? This depends on the size of the balloon. Our largest balloon weighs 929 kilos fully fueled. [top] What type of gas do you use? LPG - liquid propane gas, the same thing you might use in your gas b-b-q. [top] Do you fly in the rain? No. It is not very pleasant to fly in the rain. The rain cools the balloon down, adds a lot of extra weight to the balloon and due to the curved shape of the balloon the water does not drip off, but gathers in the load tapes and runs down the sides and you get covered in a hot dirty shower. [top] How many people can you carry? Our largest balloon is licensed to carry up to sixteen passengers plus the pilot but it also has a weight limit, so sometimes we get to the weight limit before we get to the 16 passengers. Our middle size balloon can lift up to eight to nine passengers and our smallest can lift up to five passengers plus the pilot. [top] What days of the week can I fly? Any day you like - we operate seven days a week but we are dependent on the weather. We won't fly if the wind is too strong or it is raining. [top] What time do I need to be there? We meet about an hour before sunrise. Don't worry, when you book we will let you know the exact time you will need to be where you need to be. [top] How long can you fly for? Pretty much for as long as we have gas to burn. But the later in the day you fly the wind speed usually increases and the more turbulence you get, neither of which you wont. Generally our flights last about an hour. [top] Can you steer the balloon? We go where the wind goes, so we have a lot of differant launch sites to choose from. Also the wind does go in different directions at different altitudes and so, by ascending and descending, we can take advantage of this to choose a wind direction which is as close to the direction we want as possible. [top] What should I expect to happen on a flight? Well, we could spend a long time explaining just exactly what will happen to you on an average flight, but we think it is much easier to show you. [top] How cold does it get up there? Generally it doesn't get much colder 'up there' than what it is on the ground. You don't feel any wind because you are moving at the same speed as the wind. We also find that the burner acts as a pretty good heater. [top] What type of clothing should I wear? Wear something warm as it will probably be cold when we start out. It might be a good idea to bring a hat of some kind as the heat from the burner flame can sometimes be quite noticeable. Also, you will need a pair of good, sturdy shoes. [top] |