The best way to find out about the sport of Hot Air Ballooning is to buy a flight, help with the inflation of the balloon and packing this away after landing, this is a part which most passengers enjoy and gets them totally involved.

At Balloons over Britain we have more companies than any other who can offer a flight from your locality, without the need to travel miles away from home. Your flight will take between one to three hours for the whole adventure and will be either at dawn, or dusk as these are the most suitable times for Hot Air Balloon flights when the wind is calmest. We believe that once you have taken your first flight you will become hooked and want to follow this up with more involvement in this exciting adventure activity, even joining a local club or ballooning association.

Have you ever wondered what keeps a hot air balloon flying? It is really quite simple and it’s a very basic principle, hot air rises and cold air sinks, the hot air in a hot air balloon pushes up, keeping the balloon floating.

A hot air balloon has three major parts, the envelope, the burner, and the basket. The basket is where passengers’ ride this is usually made of wicker, which is lightweight and flexible and carries and protects the occupants. The burner is positioned above the passenger’s heads and produces a huge flame to heat the air inside the envelope, when the air inside the envelope is heated, the balloon rises. For the Hot Air Balloon to descend the pilot allows the air in the envelope to cool down and the balloon gradually falls. At all times the pilot has complete control of the up and down movements of the balloon.

Balloons over Britain would not have been flying on Friday the 25th of January 2008 that is a certainty. The winds were blowing at gale force in the North of the Britain and this was accompanied by rain squalls.

A hot air balloon needs certain weather conditions to fly successfully, not just for safety, but for the enjoyment of those taking part, Hot Air Ballooning is a sport and a participating pastime for all who take part. We all know that Hot air balloon rides are very dependent on the weather. A flight will not take place if the winds speeds are high, that is above 10 miles per hour at ground level, and similarly the cloud level is too low for safety reasons. Balloons over Britain operators will not only take the legal minimum weather conditions into account, but also whether the conditions will make for an enjoyable flight, contact us for the details of your nearest operator.

A frequently asked question is; how much does a Hot Air Balloon flight cost? Well this can be compared to the “how long is a piece of string” question. What we can say at Balloons over Britain, is that you will always get a good deal from us and our operators, but the cost of a Hot Air Balloon flight can vary due to a number of reasons.

Prices are likely to be higher for summer months and for weekend evenings, which are the most popular times.  We may be able to negotiate a discount for you with an operator if you agree to fly mid week. It pays to shop around to get the best deal; similarly out of season balloon flights are usually cheaper than summer flights. One thing that we can be sure of is that you will remember your first Hot Air Balloon flight long after you have forgotten the cost.

When you choose to take your Hot Air Balloon ride through Balloons over Britain, your local operator will usually issue you with a voucher, normally valid for a number of months from the first chosen date of your flight. Under normal circumstances this period is long enough to take into account weather delays and dates when you or your guest cannot make the flight.

Because the operators within Balloons over Britain are independent the conditions of the vouchers can vary from one to another so it is not possible to say exactly what these may be. We always suggest at the time of booking, that you contact the chosen operator to check with this hot air balloon ride company, the conditions that are attached to your voucher and if it can be extended at no cost at the end of the validity period, this is normally the case. Most operators will actively try to arrange for alternative flights for you if one has been cancelled due to poor weather, others may put the onus on you to call and enquire about the next likely flying date. Always make sure that you are happy with any time limits and discuss this with the local operator.

Imagine a balloon in the air with your own corporate branding or logo on it. What better way to get your business a higher profile (excuse the pun) than your own balloon in flight. Your corporate colours could be ascending into the skies and actively promoting your business.

Perhaps your managing director would benefit from a champagne balloon flight with the company branding on the balloon as they wave to the watching public. Balloons Over Britain have design specialists waiting to individually tailor your company design or design a specially shaped balloon for you.

With years of experience in balloon making we will make sure that your corporate balloon flight is a success from start to finish.

When looking for a great choice of balloon flights across the whole of the UK you have come to the right place. Our launch sites are extensive and are regularly scheduled to fly at the best times.

Balloons Over Britain now offer a great flight package which contains a gift voucher and is an ideal present for a friend or relative.

Each ballooning experience brings you a full pilot briefing and you can also help inflate or deflate the balloon if you wish. With approx an hour soaring into the skies it will be a memorable experience. Don’t forget to join in the champagne toasting of the balloon too!

At the end of your balloon flight you will get a flight certificate which is personalised and signed by the pilot. Most of our flying areas now have the option for an in-flight photo.

Our range of balloon flight gift vouchers will suit every budget and start from as little as £119 ( that’s with a web discount)

Often when you see Hot Air Balloons in flight they may not be taking passengers on pleasure flights, they could be in competition, yes racing! The term ‘racing’ may not be the best choice of words when talking about balloon competitions because balloons don’t ‘race’ in the normal sense of the word because it is not about being first across an imaginary line, it is really about a how close a pilot can come to a predetermined area or target. Many forms of competition take place at Hot Air Balloon festivals which are held all over the country through the flying season, normally spring through to the late autumn.

A number of Hot Air Balloon festivals are due to take place during 2008 and there will be one in a location which is near you, the next is the Brass Monkey Festival on the 2nd and 3rd of February 2008 at Rudding Park Harrogate.

When you book your flight through Balloons over Britain you will be given all the necessary instruction to prepare you for the big day, but there are some things that we believe will make your day out even more memorable, and that is what it should be.

Firstly, you should take a camera, beg or borrow if you do not have one of your own. Wear plenty of warm clothing because your early morning flight means that it will be cool to say the least and the higher you go, the colder it can become. Sensible flat and comfy shoes should always be worn, waterproof if possible as the grass can be damp in the early morning. This is an aircraft, remember the pilot is in charge, so listen to and do what he recommends. Bring your family with you to enjoy the experience and arrange to meet them in a pub for a super breakfast and tell them all about your flight.

Enjoy your experience and remember that ballooning is proven to be the safest form of aviation and we guarantee that you will return many times over.

We would always want you to take your Hot Air Balloon flight with us in bright sunny weather, sadly we all know the vagaries of the British weather and this is not possible. Your arranged flight will take place if the operator considers the weather to be suitable, sunshine or not.

There are however, certain conditions that will prevent a flight taking place such as in rain, or if it is foggy. Hot Air Ballooning is completely weather dependent and you will be instructed to telephone your operator on the day of the flight to see if the weather will allow a flight to take place, if it is not you simply rebook for another convenient day. Should you decide to postpone your flight, we must point out that this must me within the minimum period of notice that you will find in the operator’s written instructions. Please remember that if you do not turn up for your flight, it is lost.